Mastering endgame strategy 9781781940181, 1781940185
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Mastering Endgame Strategy Study brings wisdom. Practice brings perfection. Following his highly acclaimed Mastering Chess Strategy and Mastering Opening Strategy , this book completes a trilogy of strategy books by Grandmaster and renowned chess teacher Johan Hellsten. In his new work Hellsten focuses exclusively on endgame play and covers every type of endgame: pawn, minor piece, rook and queen endgames. He examines not only the many fundamental positions that everyone needs to know, but also the key themes and characteristics of successful endgame play, including activity, creating and exploiting weaknesses, active and passive defence, fortresses and technique. Just like his previous two books, Mastering Endgame Strategy is a product of Hellsten’s many years’ work as a full-time chess teacher and is specifically designed as part of a structured training programme to improve strategic thinking. In addition to the many examples there’s an abundance of carefully selected exercises which allow readers to monitor their progress and put into practice what they have just learned. Following such a course is an ideal way for players of all standards to improve. Although designed mainly for students, this book is also an excellent resource for chess teachers and trainers. · An essential course in endgame strategy · Includes 500 examples and 240 exercises · Ideal for both chess study and practice Johan Hellsten is a Grandmaster and a former Swedish Champion. He has represented Sweden in numerous Chess Olympiads and team tournaments, and he won individual gold and bronze medals at the European Team Championships. He’s a full-time chess teacher and lives in Riobamba, Ecuador.
Publisher Information Mastering Endgame Strategy by Johan Hellsten First published in 2013 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AT. Copyright © 2013 Johan Hellsten The right of Johan Hellsten to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All other sales enquiries should be directed to Everyman Chess, Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AT tel: 020 7253 7887; fax: 020 7490 3708 email: [email protected] website: www.everymanchess.com Everyman is the registered trade mark of Random House Inc. and is used in this work under licence from Random House Inc. EVERYMAN CHESS SERIES (formerly Cadogan Chess) Chief Advisor: Byron Jacobs Commissioning Editor: John Emms Assistant Editor: Richard Palliser
Bibliography Books 90 Schacklektioner, E.Agrest & J.Hall (Sveriges Schackförbund 2002) Ajedrez Magistral , I.Mullen et al (Ediciones Martinez Roca 1985) Analysing the Endgame, J.Speelman (Batsford 1988) Bobby Fischer's Outrageous Chess Moves, B.Pandolfini (Fireside 1985) Botvinnik's Best Games Vol.1: 1925-1941, M.Botvinnik (Moravian Chess 2000) Botvinnik's Best Games Vol.2: 1942-1956, M.Botvinnik (Moravian Chess 2000) Botvinnik's Best Games Vol.3: 1957-1970 – Analytical & Critical Works , M.Botvinnik (Moravian Chess 2000) Chess in the Fast Lane, M.Adams & B.Adams (Cadogan 1996) Chess Knowledge, Training, Mastery , B.Zlotnik (Sahovski Informator 2001) Chess Strategy Course, A.Bartashnikov (ChessBase 1999) Chess Training Pocket Book, L.Alburt (Chess Information & Research Center 2000) Curso Intermedio, M.Illescas (EDAMI 2001-03) Curso Superior, M.Illescas (EDAMI 2001-03) Descubriendo los Conceptos en Ajedrez, J.Hellsten (Esfera Editorial 2007) Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, M.Dvoretsky (Russell Enterprises 2003) Endgame Strategy, M.Shereshevsky (Pergamon 1985) Entrenamiento de Élite , M.Dvoretsky & A.Yusupov (Ediciones Eseuve 1992) Fundamental Chess Endings, K.Müller & F.Lamprecht (Gambit 2001) Gewinnen mit Sizilianisch , M.Taimanov (Sportverlag Berlin 1989) I Play Against Pieces , S.Gligoric (Batsford 2002) Iskusstvo Endshpilya, V.Smyslov (Feniks 2002) Las dos caras del Entrenamiento, F.Peralta & A.De Dovitiis (Esfera Editorial 2008) Learn from the Legends, M.Marin (Quality Chess 2004) Logika Sovremennyh Shahmat, V.Dydyshko (Polymia 1989) Mastering Chess Strategy, J.Hellsten (Everyman 2010) Mastering Opening Strategy , J.Hellsten (Everyman 2012) Mezhdunarodniy Turnir Grossmeisterov , D.Bronstein (Fizkultura i Sport 1960) Mis Finales Favoritos , A.Karpov & E.Gik (Zugarto Ediciones 1992) Mis Mejores Partidas , A.Karpov (Paidotribo 2000) Modern Chess Self-Instructor Vols.2&3, V.Pozharsky (Caissa 1999) My 60 Memorable Games , R.J.Fischer (Batsford 1995) My Best Games of Chess, V.Anand (Gambit 1998) Play the Sicilian Kan , J.Hellsten (Everyman Chess 2008) Praktiska slutspel , L.Eszik (Gästriklands SF 1983) Preparación de Finales, J.Speelman (Paidotribo 2008) Rook Endings, G.Levenfish & V.Smyslov (Batsford 1971) Schackgeniet Anatolij Karpov, G.Johansson (Prisma 1976) Skola Vysshevo Masterstva 1-4, M.Dvoretsky & A.Yusupov (Folio 1998) Stormästare, L.Grahn & J.Westberg (Bonniers 1979) Tactical Chess Exchanges, G.Nesis (Batsford 1991) Taimanov's Selected Games, M.Taimanov (Cadogan 1995) Teoriya i Praktika Shahmatnyh Okonchanii , A.Panchenko (Russkii Shahmatnyi Dom 2006) Testa din Spelstyrka, B.Larsen (Prisma 1977) The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal , M.Tal (Cadogan 1997) Tiger's Modern, T.Hillarp Persson (Quality Chess 2005) Training for the Tournament Player, M.Dvoretsky & A.Yusupov (Batsford 1993) Träna schack med Jesper Hall, J.Hall (Natur & Kultur 2001) Tratado de Ajedrez Superior, Y.Estrin (Martinez Roca 1981) Winning Chess Endings, Y.Seirawan (Microsoft Press 1999)
Periodicals / Databases Chess Informant 1-114 Chess Today 1-4500 ChessBase Megabase 2013 The Week in Chess 1-955 Tidsskrift för Schack 2004-2008
Tidsskrift för Schack 2004-2008 Chess Life (October 1995) Beosah (October 2002)
Websites www.chessbase.com www.k4it.de/index.php?topic=egtb&lang=en www.larsgrahn.blogspot.com www.tacticosyestrategas.blogspot.com
Introduction Sometimes in my classes, I have felt the need of a book that covered major and minor strategic ideas in the last phase of the game. Finally, it turned out that I would write such a book myself, and I am now pleased to share it with the reader. This book is intended to complement the traditional endgame manuals. From my experience, success in the endgame is determined mainly by three factors: 1) calculation skills; 2) knowledge of basic positions and their respective continuations; 3) knowledge of major and minor strategic ideas. Evidently, this book is aimed at helping you with the last aspect, although on occasion it could also raise your level in the second area. As for the first aspect, working through the exercises will definitely improve your abilities in that field. The first five chapters of the book are dedicated to strategic ideas – or themes – with a close relation to a specific piece. In contrast, the last three chapters discuss themes of a more general nature. Note that many examples touch upon more than one theme, which explains why I often make references to earlier examples throughout the book. I have used many sources in the process of writing this book, from which three could be emphasized: 1) Smyslov's endgame collection Iskusstvo Endshpilya. The seventh world champion left a wealth of instructive endgames, and here they are annotated by himself. 2) Shereshevsky's classic Endgame Strategy. This book is filled with well-annotated examples, and it is one of few other endgame works with an idea-based structure. 3) Baburin's Endgame Kaleidoscope column featured in Chess Today. In my opinion, this is an outstanding place for anyone interested in practical endgames. Just like in my previous works, Mastering Chess Strategy and Mastering Opening Strategy , I have also relied a lot on the Chess Informants and the ChessBase Megabase. On occasion I have consulted Nalimov's tablebases. The style and format of this book is similar to my previous ones – I have generally preferred verbal comments to explain what is going on at the board, the variation trees have been reduced to a minimum, and the total number of examples is rather big. At the end of the book you will find a number of related exercises, which will help you to put in practice the new (or reinforced) knowledge. While primarily aimed at chess players, this book should also prove useful to trainers wishing to diversify their endgame classes. Thanks to my students in Riobamba for all their valuable input. Johan Hellsten Riobamba, July 2013 Chapter 1: King Themes Back to Contents Page
Chapter One
King Themes King first! Opposition Obstruction The king's route King raids Shelter
King first! With “King first!” I refer to the idea of improving the king as a first priority in our position, in an almost mechanical way. In contrast, the “Active king” theme featured in the final chapter of the book, deals with the subject in more general terms. Let's start with a very simple example. Example 1 Example 2 Now let's see the “King first!” idea in positions with more material. Example 3 A.Lesiege-Z.Kozul, Toronto 1990 Example 4 Xu Jun-A.Onischuk, Beijing 2000 Example 5 Y.Averbakh Example 6 I.Polgar-V.Ciocaltea, Baja 1971 Example 7 R.Chang-J.Calderón, Riobamba 2008 Let's see one more pawn ending. Example 8 A.Motylev-N.Odinokov, Russian Team Championship 2004 Another type of ending where the “King first!” idea holds great importance is the one with rook vs. pawns. Here is an example. Example 9 Here is a more complex example, where it is the stronger side that uses the “King first!” idea. Example 10 A.Leal-R.Filguth, Mexico 1978 In bishop vs. knight endings the “king first!” mechanism is of great utility as well. Here are two old, but instructive examples. Example 11 Y.Averbakh-A.Lilienthal, Moscow 1949 Example 12 G.Stoltz-I.Kashdan, The Hague Olympiad 1928
G.Stoltz-I.Kashdan, The Hague Olympiad 1928 Example 13 V.Kramnik-Comp Deep Fritz, Bonn (1st matchgame) 2006
Opposition Opposition tends to be one of the first methods taught within pawn endings, and it is highly relevant to dominate it in practice. Let's start with a few simple examples. Example 14 Y.Averbakh Now let's examine the same position with Black to move. Example 15 Y.Averbakh By now we should outline some of the ideas used by both sides in these two examples: direct opposition (e.g. Kc6 vs. Kc4), diagonal opposition (Kc7 vs. Ke5), distant opposition (Kd7 vs. Kd3) and corresponding squares (d4-d6, e4-e6, c3-c7- e3-e7, and c4-c6). The last term is a favourite of theoretical works and it is good to dominate it in practical play too – it tells us where to put our king when its counterpart is placed on a specific square. If there is no such square, then we are probably lost! A final thing to be extracted from these examples is the waiting move (e.g. a4-a5 in the previous example), an idea that we will study more thoroughly later on in the book. The following example is a study but its content is relevant in practice as well. Example 16 G.Neustadtl Now let's see some of these ideas applied in practice. Example 17 A.Shevelev-K.Lerner, Israeli Team Championship 2003 Example 18 P.Szilagyi-I.Bilek, Hungarian Championship, Budapest 1965 Example 19 A.Galliamova-N.Gurieli, European Team Championship, Debrecen 1992 Example 20 V.Potkin-A.Grischuk, FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011 Although the idea of the opposition is mainly seen in pawn endings, it occasionally turns up in other endgames as well, in particular when some piece is tied up to defensive tasks. Here are two examples. Example 21 A.Ebralidze-I.Bondarevsky, USSR Championship, Tbilisi 1937 Example 22 Y.Averbakh-A.Matanovic, USSR vs. Yugoslavia match, Belgrade 1961 To round off this section, let's see some examples where one of the players had to consider the opposition factor when transposing into a pawn ending. Example 23 S.Brynell-I.Sokolov, Rilton Cup 2011 Example 24 E.Zayac-S.Matveeva, Russian Women's Championship, Samara 2005 Example 25 J.Moreno Carnero-M.Suba, Spanish Team Championship 2004
Obstruction With “obstruction” I refer to the idea of limiting, with our own king, the movements of the enemy king. Typically the king is placed vis-à-vis its counterpart, similar to the opposition. Here is an example. Example 26 C.Pritchett-S.Kagan, World Student Team Championship, Ybbs 1968 Example 27 I.Glek-K.Lerner, Tallinn 1986 The following example shows that even top grandmasters sometimes fail to apply this idea. Example 28 V.Malakhov-E.Najer, Moscow 2007 Now let's see two examples where the stronger side transposes to a pawn ending in order to prevail by obstruction. Example 29 Son-Khorovets, Tashkent 1978 Example 30 M.Socko-K.Le Kieu Thien, World Team Championship, Ekaterinburg 2007 In rook vs. pawn endings, too, obstruction is frequently used by both sides, as we already saw in the first section of this chapter. Here are two more examples. Example 31 W.Browne-B.Gulko, US Championship, Seattle 2002 Example 32 P.Keres-V.Mikenas, Stockholm Olympiad 1937
The king's route In several examples of the previous section we saw how one side adjusted his king's route in order to obstruct its white counterpart (4...Kd4! and 5...Ke5! in Pritchett-Kagan, 1...Ke6! in Glek-Lerner, etc). Here are some more examples where the king is assigned a second task while on its way somewhere. Let's start with Réti's famous study. Example 33 R.Réti In the following example, Black was allowed to save himself by using Réti's idea. Example 34 F.Yates-F.Marshall, Carlsbad 1929 Example 35 W.Schlage-C.Ahues (analysis variation), Berlin 1921 Example 36 V.Pozharsky-A.Escudero Martinez, Manresa 1994 The king's route is not an exclusive theme of pawn endings. Here are two examples from other types of endings. Example 37 I.Cheparinov-D.Pavasovic, European Team Championship, Plovdiv 2003 Example 38 I.Popov-B.Savchenko, Ulan Ude 2009
King raids
By a “king raid” I refer to an invasion with the king behind the enemy pawns. We already came across this idea in a few examples; e.g. Neustadtl's study (the 1 Kf1? subline), and Potkin-Grischuk, where Black's king again managed to invade via the back rank. Here is one more. Example 39 B.Socko-R.Wojtaszek, Polish Championship, Warsaw 2011 I have a pleasant memory of the king raid idea – it once helped me to win a last-round game, and indirectly the whole tournament. Despite various errors from both sides I find it rather instructive. Example 40 J.Hellsten-J.Eriksson, Hallsberg 1994 Many years later, I came across a similar endgame in one of my students' games. Example 41 D.Brito-E.Ruiz, Loja 2009 The king raid idea can be used in other types of endings as well, and not only by the attacking side. Here are some examples. Example 42 M.Taimanov-R.J.Fischer, Buenos Aires 1960 Example 43 A.Zubarev-D.Forcen Esteban, La Roda 2012 Example 44 I.Zaragatski-T.Nyback, German League 2012 Example 45 S.Makarichev-K.Lerner, USSR Championship, Minsk 1979
Shelter Sometimes in major piece endings, the stronger side manages to bring his king to a square where it can't be easily harassed by the enemy forces. Such a square, typically located in front of a pawn of either colour, is referred to as a “shelter” in this work. Let's start with an archetypal example. Example 46 A.Kotov-E.Eliskases, Saltsjöbaden Interzonal 1952 Here are two more complex examples on the same topic. Example 47 F.Berkes-A.Horvath, Hungarian Championship, Kazincbarcika 2005 Example 48 J.Granda Zuniga-E.Vladimirov, Tilburg 1992 Example 49 I.Krush-V.Akopian, Gibraltar 2007 In the next old, but instructive example the stronger side will have more difficulties to find a shelter for his king, but he finally solves the issue. Example 50 F.Marshall-S.Tarrasch, Ostend 1907 Usually the shelter works in combination with a passed pawn, but it can also have other functions, as in the following, thrilling example. Example 51 V.Topalov-G.Kasparov, Linares 1999
V.Topalov-G.Kasparov, Linares 1999 Chapter 2: Pawn Themes Back to Contents Page
example 1 [Johan Hellsten] a
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As we were taught when beginners, in such positions before pushing the pawn we should improve our king. 1.f3! [ 1.g3 is also good, as well as 2 Kg4 (or 2 Ke4) on the next move. ] [ Only a very inexperienced player would consider 1.f4? or 1 f3?, after which a draw is inevitable. ] 1...f7 2.f4 f6 3.f3! A clever waiting move. -[ White wins after 3...e6 4.g5 ] [ or 3...g6 4.e5 , further improving the king. ]
example 2 [Johan Hellsten]
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the opposition, and we will get back to it soon. ] 1...f7 2.c3 e6 3.c4 d6 4.d4 . The white king reaches a key square on the next move; [ for example, 4.d4 c6 5.e5 d7 6.d5! e7 7.c6 e6 8.d4 with an elementary win. ]
Lesiege,A Kozul,Z Toronto [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) Here is a slightly more complex example. In order to win White must bring his king to c5, d5 or e5, which are the so called key squares for the d3-pawn – if the king gets there, the pawn is assured promotion. 1.d2! Only one sequence does the trick. [ In contrast after 1.e2? f7 2.e3 e7! 3.e4 e6 4.d4 d6 5.c4 c6 , Black makes a draw, by preventing the white king's access to any of the key squares. The idea of placing the king in front of its counterpart is commonly referred to as
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The bishop usually makes a draw against three connected pawns, but here Black is suffering due to the remote placement of his king.
1.f2! King first! [ In contrast, after the impulsive 1.h4?! c3! (Black applies the same idea) 2.h5? d4 3.h6 e4 followed by ...Bc3, Black draws. ] 1...c3 2.e3! Obstructing the enemy king. [ 2.f3?! d4 was less to the point. ] 2...c4 3.e4 c5 4.e5! Again preventing the black king's return to the kingside. [ In contrast, after 4.g4?! d6 5.g5 e6 Black's drawing chances have increased. ] 4...c6 5.e6 c7 6.f5 Only now, after having placed his king in an ideal position, White starts advancing his pawns. d8 7.f7! Of course the black king should be denied the e file. c7 8.g4 Thanks to the splendidly placed king on f7, this pawn proves unstoppable. f4 [ Or 8...xh2 9.g5 etc. ] 9.h4 . In view of the inevitable g4-g5 g6 g7, Black resigned. 1-0
Xu Jun Onischuk,A Beijing [Johan Hellsten] a
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c3 5.e6 f6 6.f5 f2 7.h5 e3 8.g6 and White wins. ] 2.f5 [ Black also draws after 2.e4 h3 3.e5 h4 4.e6 b4 ] [ or 2.g4!? g2 3.e4 f2 4.e5 e3 5.f5 c3 6.e6 f6! 7.h5 d4 8.g6 e5 . In the latter variation, we can see that Black has saved a tempo upon the subline 1...Bd2 above. ] 2...h3 3.f6 h4 4.f4 [ Seeing that 4.f7 b4 is useless, White tries obstructing the enemy king, just like in the previous example. ] 4...h5 5.f5 h6 6.e4 h7! The king's journey still isn't over – its ideal destiny is f8 or e8. 7.e5 [ The game actually went 7.e6 g6 8.e5 b4 and, incapable of progress, White agreed to a draw. ] 7...g8 8.e6 f8 White can't win; [ e.g. 8...f8 9.e4 (heading for d7) ( or 9.g6 b4 ) 9...c3 . ]
example 5 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
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Here is a more complex case, by coincidence of the same type of ending. Again the side with the bishop has a problem with his badly placed king. Only precise play with this piece will enable him to save the game. 1...h2! King first! [ The seemingly logical 1...d2? fails after 2.e4 h2 3.g4! (obstruction) g2 4.e5
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1.f7! Before taking the pawn White should prevent ...Ke8. [ In contrast, the obvious 1.e7+? e8 2.xf6 fails after e3 3.h4 d4 4.g3 c3 5.e5 xe5 6.xe5 e7 etc. ] 1...d7 2.e7 c3 3.xf6 e1 4.g5 c3 5.g6! Preparing a "bridge" by Bh6 g7, a plan that Black can't parry in any way. e8 6.h6
d4 7.g7 c5 8.f6 b4 9.f7+ d7 10.h7 A new bridge should be constructed on f8 in order to gain the a3 f8 diagonal. e6 11.g8 f5 12.f8 d2 13.c5 h6 14.e3! . White wins.
Polgar,I Ciocaltea,V Baja [Johan Hellsten] a
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Such pawn endings on a single flank with an extra pawn – leaving aside the case with a single pawn – are usually won quite easily. However, it is imperative to improve the king as much as possible before advancing the pawns. 1.g3! In order to improve properly, the king should make a turn to the other side of the pawns. [ In contrast, after 1.g5?! g7 2.f5? gxf5 3.xf5 f7 , Black draws. ] 1...f7 2.f3 e7 [ Or 2...f6 3.e4 e6 transposing. ] 3.e3 Applying distant opposition, an idea that we will study more thoroughly in the next section. [ The simple 3.e4 was also good; e.g. f6 4.d5 f7 5.e5 e7 6.g5 , again transposing to the main line. ] 3...d7 4.e4 e6 [ Or 4...d6 5.d4! ( but not 5.f5? e7! ) 5...e6 6.c5 and the white king enters anyway. ] 5.g5 The king can no longer be improved, so it is time to use a pawn move in order to gain
the opposition. d6 [ If 5...e7 then 6.e5 , while other moves are met by 6 Kd5. ] 6.f5! Just in time; [ when the black king can't reach f7 after 6.f5 gxf5+ 7.xf5 . ] 6...e7 7.f6+! [ But not 7.fxg6? f8 8.e5 g7 9.f5 g8 10.f6 f8 11.g7+ g8 with a draw. It is worth noting that with the g5 pawn still on g4, White could indeed win here by 12.f5! xg7 and now 13 Kg5. ] 7...f7 8.e5 f8 9.f7! This pawn sacrifice is the only winning idea; [ which could also be realized by 9.e6 e8 10.f7+ f8 11.d6! etc. ] After 9 f7 Black resigned, but let's see a possible conclusion of the game. 9...xf7 10.d6 A final "improvement" measure, in order to conquer the g6-pawn. f8 11.e6 g7 12.e7 g8 13.f6 h7 14.f7 h8 15.xg6 Returning to the subject of key squares, with a pawn on the fifth rank (from Black's perspective, the fourth) these squares are located one rank closer to the pawn, in this case f6, g6, and h6. [ So White wins no matter who is to move; e. g. 15.xg6 g8 16.f6 h8 17.g6 g8 18.g7 . ]
Chang,R Calderón,J Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here is another pawn ending illustrating our
subject, this time with pawns on both flanks. 1...a5! King first! [ In contrast, the game went 1...b4? 2.b3 b5 3.d2 a5 4.c1 b6 5.d2 a4 6.c1! ( not 6.bxa4? a5 7.c1 xa4 8.b2 b5 9.b3 g6! and Black wins ) 6...a3 7.b1 b5 8.a2 and a draw was soon agreed. ] 2.c3 [ Or 2.b3 b4 3.d2 a5 and the a pawn decides. ] 2...a4 3.c2 b4! Immediately striking at the enemy pawns; [ whereas the seemingly natural 3...g6? permits the unexpected counterstrike 4.b3+ a3 5.c4! . ] 4.b3+ [ After 4.d2 b3 Black's task is easier. ] 4...b5 5.b2 bxc3+ 6.xc3 a5! As we will see many times throughout the book, the king is an excellent performer of waiting moves. Here he is aiming at winning the b4-square. 7.c2 b4 8.b2 a5 [ Also possible is 8...a6 9.c2 a3 10.c3 a5 11.c2 a2 12.c3 b1 13.b4 a4 etc. ] 9.c2 a4 10.bxa4 xa4 11.c3 a3 . Black soon wins the d4-pawn, and the game.
example 9 [Johan Hellsten]
Motylev,A Odinokov,N Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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the enemy camp before taking further action. d7 2.c4 c8 [ If 2...c6 , taking the b5-square from the white king, then 3.b4! cxb4 4.cxb4 and the outside passed pawn decides – Wedberg. Let's confirm that assessment: c7 5.a4 a6 6.dxc6 xc6 7.b5+ axb5+ 8.axb5+ b6 9.d5 and White wins. We will come back to the subject of the outside passed pawn many times in this book. ] [ On 2...a6 White could proceed in similar fashion: 3.b4 cxb4 4.cxb4! c8 5.b5 a5 6.b6! cxb6 7.b5 b7 8.a4 and the king invades decisively at a6 or c6 on the next move. ] 3.b5 b7 4.b4! The king can't be improved any more for now, so White starts working on an outside passed pawn. a6+ [ Or 4...cxb4 5.cxb4 a6+ 6.a5 a7 7.b5! and the outside passed a pawn again decides – Wedberg. ] 5.a5 a7 6.b5! [ In view of 6.b5 axb5 7.xb5 b7 8.a4 followed by a4-a5 a6 and Kc6, Black resigned. ] 1-0
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1.d3! Of course. White should try to penetrate with his king as far as possible into
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Despite appearances White is just in time to save a draw, if he uses his king first. 1.e5! Improving the king while obstructing its black counterpart. [ In contrast, after 1.c6? f5! 2.d5 d2+!
3.c5 e6 , the black king approaches the pawn with decisive effect. ] 1...c2 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 1...e2+ 2.d6 ( but not 2.d5? f5! . )] 2.d6 f5 3.c6 d2+ [ On 3...f6 White can draw both by 4.d7 ( and 4.c7 . However, if this was a rook's pawn, then only the king move works – more about this in the next example. )] 4.e7! . The correct and only square, where the king remains close to the pawn without obstructing it, and at the same time keeps away the black king. Draw.
Leal,A Filguth,R Mexico [Johan Hellsten] a
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2.h6 h1 3.g5 e5! Again, the king should approach the more dangerous pawn whenever possible. 4.g6 e6 5.h7 [ After 5.c5 g1+ 6.h7 f7 etc – Speelman ] [ or 5.g7 e7! 6.h7 g1+ 7.h8 f7 , Black also wins. Interestingly, in the second line the c pawn works against White, who would have been stalemated without it. ] 5...g1+ 6.h6 f7! A typical piece of endgame tactics, by which Black prepares a skewer with ...Rh1+ in case White queens. 7.h8+ f6 8.h7 c1 9.g8 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 9.g6 h1+ .] 9...xc4 10.h7 g4 . Zugzwang; Black wins – Speelman.
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Averbakh,Y Lilienthal,A Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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How should Black proceed? 1...d4! The king approaches the dangerous h pawn as soon as he can. [ In contrast, in the game Black lost a crucial tempo by snatching a pawn: 1...xc4? 2.h6 d5 3.f5 f1+ 4.g6 e6 5.g7! ( avoiding 5.h7? g1+ 6.h6 f7! 7.h8+ f6 8.h7 g2 and Black wins ) 5...g1+ 6.f8! f1+ 7.g7 f7+ and here White could have made a draw with 8.g6 , keeping the black king away from f6, ( instead of 8.g8? f6 9.h7 g7+ . )] [ Changing the move order with 1...h1 2.g5 d4! 3.g6 e5 was possible as well. ]
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The knight is in its element here, untouchably placed in the centre, while the pawn structure makes it impossible for Black to organize any activity at all. But the great knight in itself won't be sufficient to win the game – in order to progress, White should create a path for his king towards the enemy camp. 1.g5! Softening up the crucial e5-square and fixing the g6-pawn as a weakness. By the way, we will see more about fixing pawns in Chapter Four. fxg5 This helps the White king's cause;
[ though after 1...f5 2.f3 followed by Ne5 Black is also doomed; e.g. e8 3.e5 d8 4.f3 e7 5.e3 e6 6.d4 e7 7.d3 e6 8.b4! (provocation) a5 9.d3 d7 10.a4 e8 11.b4 and the apawn decides. ] 2.fxg5 c8 At this point Black already resigned. Let's see a possible continuation: 3.f4 King first! [ White could also restrict the enemy bishop by 3.b4!? before using the king; e.g. d7 4.f4 b7 5.e5 e7 6.a3! (zugzwang) a8 7.e2 b7 8.f4 f7 9.d6 etc. ] 3...a5 In order to activate the bishop via a6 d3. 4.e5 a6 5.f6 d3 6.e7! Heading for d6. [ Less convincing was 6.e6+?! d7 7.f8+ c7 8.xg6? xg6 9.xg6 d4 and Black escapes to a queen ending. ] 6...b1 7.a3 e4 8.e6+ This time it is the knight who helps the king to make further progress. Such a combined method is indeed typical in blocked positions within bishop vs. knight endings. b7 9.d6 c2 10.d4 d1 11.xc6 [ In view of 11.xc6 xb3 12.xa5+ , White wins. ] 1-0
Stoltz,G Kashdan,I The Hague Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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In open positions with pawns on both flanks the bishop tends to outperform the knight,
and this is no exception. Black's long term task is to penetrate with his king into the enemy camp, thus he first improves this piece as much as he can. 1...f8! 2.f1 e7 3.e2 d6 4.d3 d5 5.h4! A sensible idea, placing the pawns on squares of the opposite colour to the enemy bishop. [ In contrast, after 5.c3? e4 ] [ or 5.e3? c5 6.d3 b4 , the black king enters with fewer difficulties. ] 5...c8! Preparing a check on a6 in order to release White's opposition, so that the black king can keep improving. 6.f3 [ On 6.b4 Black plays a6+ anyway, and after 7.b5 b7 , followed by ...Kc5 and ... Bc8-d7, the b-pawn has turned into a serious weakness. ] 6...a6+ 7.c3 [ Or 7.e3 c5 8.g5 b4 9.xf7 xb3 and Black reaches a position with mutual passed pawns, where the bishop is much the stronger piece. ] 7...h6 [ 7...e4? 8.g5+ should be avoided. ] 8.d4 g6 Covering the f5-square. [ The natural 8...e4!? also seemed strong; e.g. 9.c6 f1! (provocation) and 10.g3? fails to f3 . ] 9.c2 e4 10.e3 f5! The pawn advances with the dual mission of dislodging the knight and softening up the enemy kingside. 11.d2 f4 12.g4 [ Or 12.c2 f1! 13.e1 f5 14.f3 g5 15.hxg5 xg5! and the plan of ...Kh4-g3 decides – Speelman. ] 12...h5 13.f6+ f5 14.d7 c8! Before entering with the king on g4, Black rules out a knight check on e5. 15.f8 Thus White prevents ...Kg4 but also misplaces his knight, something that explains Black's reply. g5! 16.g3 [ Unfortunately for White, after 16.hxg5 xg5 his knight is trapped. ] 16...gxh4 17.gxh4 g4 The rest is easy. [ There followed 17...g4 18.g6 f5 19.e7 e6 20.b4 xh4 21.d3 g4 22.e4 h4 and Black soon won. ] 0-1
bishop for the pawn. f4 12.gxf4 xf4 13.a6 b8 14.c6 . White wins – Braun.
Kramnik,V Comp Deep Fritz Bonn (match) (1) [Johan Hellsten] a
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example 14 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
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In this more modern example, the side with the knight could have decided the game in his favour by immediately improving his king. 1.e3! Thus White enables a king journey to b5. [ In contrast, the game went 1.a4?! c5 2.h3 f6 3.f3 g6 and Black later saved a draw. ] [ Changing the move order with 1.f3 first should also work, since e4+? 2.f4 is bad for Black. ] 1...c5 2.f3 f6 [ Or 2...g6 3.e2 g5 4.h3! preventing the black king's entrance – Braun. ] 3.e2 e4 The most tenacious. [ After 3...f7 4.d3 e6 5.c4 Black ends up in some kind of zugzwang, with both the king and the bishop tied to the defence of pawns. Besides, White has the strong idea of a2-a4-a5 at his disposal. ] 4.d2! White insists with the plan of bringing the king to b5. f7 5.c3 b5 [ Or 5...e6 6.c4 with a similar situation to that after 3...Kf7 etc. ] 6.c7! A useful piece of provocation. b6 [ In view of 6...b4+ 7.c4 , followed by Nd5xb4, Black has to pin his hopes on this counter-attack. ] 7.xb5 a5+ 8.c4 e1 9.a4! Passed pawns should advance, as the old saying goes. xf2 10.a5 xe3 11.d4! Black isn't even allowed to sacrifice his
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1.d4! Gaining the opposition; i.e. our king is placed in front of its counterpart. [ Of course 1.c4? c6 is wrong, when it is Black who gains the opposition. ] 1...c6 [ After 1...e6 2.c5 the white king enters straight away. ] [ As for a pawn sacrifice with 1...a5 , A) White should evidently avoid 2.bxa5? c6 and Black draws no matter how many pawns there are on the a-file. The rook's pawn is usually the worst pawn for the stronger side in pawn endings, since there is only one side from which it can be assisted. As a consequence, the opposition loses its force and the weaker side draws if his king arrives in time to c7 or c8. In contrast, if we move all the pieces one file to the right (i.e. Ke4, c4 and b4 vs. Ke6 and b5) then 2 cxb5 is fully possible, provided that later on White sacrifices the upper pawn at the right moment and takes the opposition, as you can try out for yourself. ( 2...-- ); B) Going back to the position after 1...a5, White wins with 2.b5! if he uses his king accurately; e.g. c7 3.c5 b7 4.d6 ( not 4.b6? a6! ) 4...b6 5.e6! (in order to gain the opposition on the next
move, now that Black has neither ...Kc6 nor ...Ka6 at his disposal) c7 6.e7 and the king enters after either c8 ( or 6...b7 7.d7 ) 7.d6 . ] 2.e5! King first! [ Renewing the opposition is rather useless due to 2.c4 d6 , when 3.b5? only leads to a draw. ] 2...c7 Trying to hold by diagonal opposition. [ After 2...d7 3.d5 c7 4.c5 b7 5.d6 b6 6.a5+! b5 7.c7 xb4 8.b6 White wins. ] 3.d5 d7 4.a5! By means of this timely waiting move White regains the opposition. [ Of course 4.c5 c7 5.a5 works as well. ] 4...c7 5.c5 b7 6.d6 a7 7.c7 a8 8.b6 . White wins.
example 16 Neustadtl,G [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d7! Applying the distant opposition. [ In contrast, after 1...d5? 2.c3! White gains the opposition on the next move since the black king has neither c5 nor c7 at his disposal; e.g. d6 3.d4 c6 4.e5 and we are back in the previous example. ] 2.c4 [ After 2.d4 d6 ] [ 2.e4 e6 ] [ 2.c3 c7! ] [ or 2.e3 e7! , Black again maintains the opposition. ] 2...c6 . Draw.
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example 15 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
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White is a pawn down, and only accurate play with the king will let him save half a point. 1.h1! Distant opposition. [ The natural 1.f1? loses after d2 A) 2.g2 e2 3.g3 f1 (a king's raid – more about that later in this chapter) 4.g4 f2 and wins. ( 4...-- ); B) Or if 2.f2 , then both d3 ( and 2...g4 win for Black. )] 1...d2 2.h2 Using the "corresponding squares" term, the h2-square corresponds to d2. d3 3.h3 Draw, since the black king is unable to reach f2 or f1; [ e.g. 3.h3 e2 4.g2 e1 5.g1 e2 6.g2 e3 7.g3 . By the way, if we let the kings change place in the initial position, then White defends in an identical manner: 1 Ke2 Kh3 2 Kd3! Kh2 3 Kd2 etc. ]
Shevelev,A Lerner,K Israeli Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) At first sight Black's winning process seems to be complicated by the doubled e-pawns, but Lerner came up with a clever idea. 1...e3+! 2.fxe3+ e4 3.e2 h5! A timely waiting move which secures the
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opposition. [ 3...e5? 4.g4 would let White achieve the same thing, with a draw. ] 4.f2 [ After 4.d2 f3 Black wins more easily. ] 4...d3 5.f3 e5! Again taking the opposition. 6.e4 [ Or 6.f2 e4 and Black wins even without the g- and h-pawns on the board. ] 6...d4 7.f2 xe4 8.e2 It is White's turn to take the opposition, and this would have been enough for a draw if it wasn't for the gand h-pawns. By the way, the fact that a greater number of pawns on the board favours the stronger side will be investigated in Chapter Seven. d4 9.d2 e4 10.e2 e3 11.e1 d3 12.d1 e2+ [ In view of 12...e2+ 13.e1 e3 14.g4 h4 , Black resigned. ] 0-1
Szilagyi,P Bilek,I Hungarian Championship, Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
1965
(Diagramme) A common situation in endgame practice – from two obvious moves one loses, and the other one makes a draw. 1.h3! Securing the g4-pawn is the main priority here. [ In contrast, the game saw the "natural" 1.e3? , on which Black continued h3!
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, gaining the opposition, and after 2.f3 d4 3.g3 e3 4.xh3 f4 5.g2 xg4 White resigned. ] 1...d4 2.f2! Temporarily applying diagonal opposition. d3 [ Or 2...e4 3.e2 and the black king won't enter, nor after f5 4.gxf5 xf5 5.f3 . ] 3.f3 . By regaining the direct opposition, White secures the draw. This kind of "side" opposition will appear several times in the next section dealing with obstruction.
Galliamova,A Gurieli,N European Team Championship, Debrecen [Johan Hellsten] a
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A protected passed pawn is usually a big
asset in any endgame, but here White can defend by applying different kinds of opposition depending on the location of Black's king. 1.e3 Distant opposition. [ Of course the black king must not be allowed to reach e5, and 1.f3? d6 2.e4 c5! would soon let her achieve that. By the way, a "lazy" rule for pawn endings is to put your king on squares of the same colour as the opponent's king. It has several exceptions, for example when waiting moves with the pawns are involved, but it works surprisingly well on many occasions. ] 1...d7 [ Or 1...d6 2.d4 c6 3.c4 and Black can't break through; e.g. b6 4.d4! (shifting to diagonal opposition) b5 5.d5 b6 6.d4 with a draw ( but not 6.e6 g4 7.xf6 g3 8.e7 g2 9.f6 g1 10.f7 g7 11.e8 c6! and Black wins. )] [ As for 1...f7 , trying to infiltrate via the hfile, White should apply corresponding squares: 2.e4 g7 3.f3 h7 ( or 3...h6 4.g4 ) 4.g3! with a draw. Perhaps you have heard the term "mined squares", which could be applied to this case; i.e. g4 is "mined" whenever Black can reply ...Kh6. ] 2.d3! Keeping the distant opposition. [ Evidently, both 2.d4? d6 ] [ and 2.e4? c6 would destroy the draw. ] 2...c7 3.c3 b7 4.d3 [ The distant opposition was no longer feasible ( 4.b3? g4 ), so White stays on a light square while awaiting Black's next move. ] 4...a6 5.c4! Diagonal opposition. a7 6.c3 b7 7.d3 b6 8.d4 c7 [ As we already have seen, 8...b5 9.d5 b6 10.d4 is also drawn. ] 9.c3 b6 10.d4 a5 11.c5 a6 12.c4 ½-½
Potkin,V Grischuk,A FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2011
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In this position the protected passed pawn on e4 is stronger than the outside passed pawn on b5, so White is struggling. 1.b3? This retreat lets Black win the game by "corresponding squares". [ Correct was 1.b5! e3 ( or 1...a5 2.c5 e3 3.b6 e2 4.b7 e1 5.b8 – Golubev; , while 1...b7 2.b3 is equally unproductive ) 2.d3 xb5 3.xe3 c4 4.e2 and the diagonal opposition secures the draw. As we will see in the game, the fact that the b-pawn is captured on b4 instead of b5 makes a huge difference. Actually, the space factor (the more advanced your pawns, the better, so to speak) determines the result of many endgames. ] 1...b5 2.c3 e3! [ Also possible was 2...a4 3.c4 e3 , transposing. ] 3.d3 xb4 4.xe3 c3! Gaining the "side" opposition, which will enable Black to win the g-pawn in the end. 5.e2 c2 6.e3 [ Obviously, 6.e1 d3 soon leads to the same thing. ] 6...d1! Unfortunately for White, he doesn't have the corresponding 7 Kf1 at his disposal. 7.f2 d2 8.f3 e1 9.e3 [ Or 9.g2 e2 10.h2 f2 11.h3 g1 etc – Golubev. ] 9...f1 10.f3 g1 . In view of 11...Kg2 on the next move, White resigned. 0-1
Ebralidze,A Bondarevsky,I USSR Championship, Tbilisi [Johan Hellsten] a
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4.g4 h3 5.f3 h4 ( or 5...h2 6.g2 ) 6.f5+ g5 7.g3! ( but not 7.g3? h2 ) 7...h2 8.e4+ h4 9.f2 g5 10.g3 etc. ] 3...g4 [ Or 3...g6 4.f4 with an elementary win. ] 4.f6 f3 5.g5 . White wins.
Averbakh,Y Matanovic,A USSR vs. Yugoslavia, Belgrade [Johan Hellsten] a
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If we just consider his material advantage White should be easily winning; however, the active position of the black king and the reduced number of pawns makes the win rather difficult. 1.e5! Both sides are fighting for the "side" opposition, and considering Black's spare tempo with the h-pawn, White places his king on a square of opposite colour to Black's. [ In contrast, the game went 1.e6? g5 ( not 1...h5? 2.f6 ) 2.e5 h5! and Black gained the opposition. After 3.e6 ( or 3.e4 g4! ) 3...g6! 4.e3 the players agreed a draw in view of g5 5.e5 h4 6.g4 h3 etc – Dvoretsky. ] 1...g5 [ The alternatives are no better: 1...h5 2.f6 and the king enters. ] [ 1...h6 2.f6! h5 3.xh6! xh6 4.g4 and wins. ] [ 1...f3 2.e6! g4 3.f6 (triangulation) h5 4.e3 with a barrier and White wins easily. ] 2.e3 This is a so-called "barrier", by which the knight and a pawn (or bishop) prevent the entrance of the enemy king. h5 [ Or 2...h6 3.e4 h5 4.f3 h4 5.g4 and wins. ] 3.f5 Simplest, in order to regain the opposition. [ Also possible is 3.e4 approaching his own pawn, just like in the previous line: h4
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In this bishop ending Black has been forced to place several pawns on the "wrong" colour (the same as his bishop) and White soon exploits the limited mobility of the enemy forces. 1.h4! In order to create a "new front" on the kingside – more on this topic in the last chapter of this book. d6 [ After 1...h5 instead, White wins by playing 2.c2! with the irresistible threat of Ba4-e8. ] 2.h5 gxh5 Now the f5-pawn turns into a serious weakness; [ but other moves like 2...c6 run into 3.h6! with a similar decisive plan: Bc2-a4-e8xg6!. ] 3.c3! Heading for d4 in order to enter with the king. Here Black resigned, but let's see a possible continuation indicated by Averbakh: c5 4.f1 b7 [ Obviously, 4...d6 (or 4...Kc6) runs into 5.d4 . ] 5.e2! White should lose a tempo with his bishop so that it reaches d3 just when its black counterpart is on c8. c8 6.d3
Zugzwang; Black has run out of bishop moves. d4+ Black tries to obstruct the enemy king by a pawn sacrifice. [ After 6...c6 7.d4 d6 8.e2 b7 9.f1! c8 10.d3 White gains the opposition, which means that his king will enter either on c5 or e5, with decisive effect. ] [ On 6...h6 (here or later) White simply repeats the previous bishop manoeuvre: 7.e2 b7 8.f1! c8 9.d3 with the same scenario. ] 7.exd4+ d5 8.c4+ d6 [ Or 8...e4 9.d5 h4 10.gxh4 xf4 11.d4! , followed by 12 d6, and the black king proves fatally obstructed. ] 9.d5 c5 How to make progress? 10.d6! An ingenious sacrifice in order to enter with the king. xd6 11.d4 Opposition. As we already know, there is a way to put an end to Black's bishop moves, so he is lost. b7 12.f1! c8 13.d3 White soon wins; [ e.g. 13.d3 e6 ( or 13...c6 14.e5 ) 14.c5 . ] 1-0
Brynell,S Sokolov,I Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black has just played ...f4-f3+, confronting White with a typical endgame problem: transpose, or not transpose, to a pawn ending? 1.xf3! A well-calculated decision.
[ After 1.h2?! f5 Black would retain some practical winning chances. ] 1...g1+ 2.xg1 xf3 3.f1 f5 4.e1 g2 5.f4! The key move, which guarantees a later opposition against Black's king (or prevents him from occupying one of the key squares on e3, f3 and g3, if you prefer that term). [ Any other move loses; e.g. 5.e2? f4 6.f3 g3 7.e1 xf3 (reaching a key square) 8.f1 e3 etc. ] 5...g3 6.e2 xf4 7.f2 . Opposition, draw agreed. ½-½
Zayac,E Matveeva,S Russian Women's Championship, Samara [Johan Hellsten] a
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Despite the reduced material White is in some practical trouble due to her king being cut off from the f-file. 1.e3 [ Correctly avoiding the transposition to a pawn ending by 1.f4+? , when xf4+ 2.xf4 f6! leads to a decisive opposition. ] [ Baburin also suggests 1.g1! , moving the rook to the edge, a sensible idea in the endgame and one that we will see more of in Chapter Three. ] 1...f1 2.e4 f6 3.g3 [ The text doesn't spoil the draw, but 3.f4+! was possible now; i.e. xf4+ 4.xf4 and it is White who takes the opposition. Such a "bridge" is a common feature in
rook endings, and we will meet this subject in Chapter Three as well. ] 3...g6 4.e3 f5 5.e2 [ Again, 5.f3+ xf3+ 6.xf3 was the simplest road to the draw – Baburin. ] 5...f4 6.e3 g5 7.g1? White's hesitance to enter a pawn ending finally dooms her. [ After 7.f3! she would soon draw by opposition; e.g. g4 ( or 7...xf3+ 8.xf3 ) 8.xf4+ gxf4+ 9.f2 f3 10.f1 g3 11.g1 . ] [ Even 7.g2! g4 8.f2 in the same spirit was possible – Baburin. ] 7...g4 8.e2 [ After 8.g2 f3+ 9.e2 f4 White lacks the space to save this rook ending; e.g. 10.e1 ( or 10.g1 g3 , followed by ...Rf2; , or 10.h2 g3! with ...Kg2 and ...g4-g3 next ) 10...g3 11.a2 g4 and the black king will soon manage to assist the pawn. ] 8...g5 9.f1 g3! 10.a1 [ Or 10.xf4 xf4 11.e1 e3! 12.f1 f3 etc – Baburin. ] 10...g4 11.h1 e4+ [ In view of 11...e4+ 12.d3 ( or 12.f1 f3 ) 12...e8 , White resigned. ] 0-1
Moreno Carnero,J Suba,M Spanish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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Pritchett,C Kagan,S World Student Team Championship, Ybbs [Johan Hellsten]
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are placed on the "wrong" colour made the win possible. 1.c5 c7 2.b5 d5 3.xa5 xc6 [ After 3...e4 4.b3 ] [ or 3...e6 4.b5 d5 5.c5 e6 6.d1! , followed by Bf3-d5, White also wins comfortably. ] 4.b3! e8 5.d5! Zugzwang, or diagonal opposition, name it as you like. d8 6.b6 e7 7.c6! A well-calculated transposition to a pawn ending. xc6 [ After 7...d7 8.xd7 xd7 9.b7 ] [ or 7...d8 8.xe8 xe8 9.c6 , White takes the opposition even earlier. ] 8.xc6 e6 9.c5 Triangulating without letting Black play ...Kd5. By the way, without the e5- and f7-pawns this would be a draw, similar to Example 20 (Potkin-Grischuk) had White played the correct 1 b5. e7 10.b6! d8 [ The game actually went 10...d7 11.b7 and Black resigned. ] 11.c6 Black can no longer take the "side" opposition by ...Ke6, and has to let the enemy king enter. e8 12.d6 f8 [ On 12...d8 there follows the same thing. ] 13.e6 White wins; [ e.g. 13.e6 fxe6 14.xe6 g7 15.e7 g8 16.f6 h7 17.f7 . ]
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In this bishop ending White's space advantage and the fact that the enemy kingside pawns
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1...c4! Obstruction.
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[ The more straightforward 1...b3? only draws after 2.d5 xb2 3.e6 c3 4.xe7 d4 5.f6 e4 6.g5! etc. ] 2.b4 [ Obviously, the king couldn't move due to 2... e5, and 2.b3+ leads to the same thing after xb3 3.d5 c3 . ] 2...xb4 3.d5 c3 4.e6 d4! The king should stay close to its counterpart in order to obstruct it on the next move. [ In contrast, 4...d3? 5.xe7 e3 6.f6 f3 7.g5 is a draw. ] 5.xe7 e5! 6.f7 f5 A last twist of obstruction. [ The move order matters: after 6...h4? 7.gxh4 f5 8.h5! h6 9.e7 g5 10.e6 xh5 11.f5 , the white king arrives on time. ] 7.g7 h4! [ Seeing that 7...g4 8.h6! draws, Black swaps the pawns in a different way. ] 8.gxh4 h5! 9.f7 [ Or 9.h6 g4 10.g6 xh4 11.f5 g3 with similar play. ] 9...g4 10.f6 xh4 11.f5 g3 12.e4 h4 13.e3 g2 0-1
Glek,I Lerner,K Tallinn [Johan Hellsten]
1986
1...e6! Only thus, obstructing the enemy king while approaching the queenside. [ The obvious 1...e4? failed to 2.e7 d3 3.d6! and White takes the "upper" pawn first ] [ while 1...f6? would lose a crucial tempo: 2.e8 e6 3.d8 d6 4.c8 c6 5.b8 b5 6.a7! and the white king approaches the pawns along the a-file. ] 2.e8 [ Or 2.g7 b5! , prioritizing queenside action while the enemy king remains displaced; e.g. 3.g6 b3! 4.axb3 b4 followed by ...Ke5-d4-c3. ] 2...b5! In the same spirit as the previous note, progressing on the queenside while the white king remains obstructed. 3.d8 d6 4.c8 c6 5.b8 b6 6.c8 b3! By swapping the pawns in this way, Black assures that when he captures the white pawn, his own pawn remains protected. We saw a similar trick (7...h4!) in the previous example. 7.axb3 b4 [ In view of 7...b4 8.d7 c5 9.e6 d4 , White resigned. ] 0-1
Malakhov,V Najer,E Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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With an extra pawn and the right to move Black seems to be easily winning, but this is not quite so.
The awkwardly placed black king makes White's chances evidently better, but is it enough to win? 1.d4! Obstruction.
[ Other moves lead to a draw; e.g. 1.d5? c3 2.f4 d3 ] [ or 1.f4? c5 2.e5 c6 , when neither 3.f5 ( nor 3.f6 d5! ) 3...d7 4.f6 e8 5.g7 e7 works for White. ] [ In contrast, the game went 1.e5? c5! 2.f3 ( 2.f4 returns to 1 f4 ) 2...c6 3.f4 d7 4.f6 e8 5.g7 f5! (a timely sacrifice ensuring later opposition – we already saw this trick in Example 23, Brynell-Sokolov) 6.f6 and a draw was agreed in view of f8 7.xf5 f7 . ] 1...b5 [ Or 1...b3 2.f4! c2 3.f5 d2 4.f6 (an idea familiar from the previous example: while the opponent's king remains obstructed, the stronger side keeps improving his pawns) e2 5.e5 f3 6.d6 f4 7.e7 and wins – Deviatkin. ] 2.d5! White repeats the obstruction in order to get his king to d6, where the enemy pawn will be at a shorter distance. b6 [ After 2...b4 White profits from his improved king: 3.f4 c3 4.f5 d3 5.f6! , followed by Kd6-e7. ] 3.d6! b5 4.f4 [ Adjusting the move order with 4.e7 c4 5.f4! works as well. ] 4...c4 5.f5 d4 6.f6 e4 7.e7 . White wins.
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(Diagramme) Despite the extra piece Black should proceed with care, since his king is remotely placed from its desired duty of protecting the h4pawn. 1...d5! The pawn should be protected from behind, in fact this is a sensible idea in many knight vs. pawn endings. [ Less constructive is 1...d3?! 2.f3 d4 3.f4 and White defends by opposition, or obstruction, name it as you like. ] [ But 1...c4 2.f3 e5+ 3.f4 g6+ is another possible move order, as in the later game T.Macsik-M.Zlatic, Paks 2004. ] 2.f3 e7! This results in an indirect sacrifice of the knight in order to divert the
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enemy king from the h-pawn. 3.g4 g6 4.g5 e3 5.xg6 f4! This is it; with his king fatally obstructed from the pawns, White resigned. [ In contrast, 5...f3? 6.f5 g3 7.e4 would just draw – Shereshevsky. ]
Socko,M Le Kieu Thien,K World Team Championship, Ekaterinburg [Johan Hellsten] a
Son Khorovets Tashkent [Johan Hellsten]
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With a pawn race coming up, Black should carefully study where to put her king on the next move. 1...c4! The only winning move – we will soon see why. 2.xf7 b4 3.f5 b3 4.f6 b2 5.g7 b1 6.f7 g1+ 7.h7 f2 8.g7
With the black king more remotely placed this would be a draw due to White having a bishop's pawn on the seventh rank, but here Black has an elegant path to victory. d5! 9.f8 xf8+ 10.xf8 e6! Obstruction! This is why the king had to move exactly to c4 on the first move – Deviatkin. [ In contrast, 10...e5? just draws after 11.e7 f5 12.d6 g4 13.e5 xh4 14.f4 . ] 11.e8 [ At the same moment, White resigned in view of 11.e8 f5 12.e7 g4 13.e6 xh4 14.f5 g3 . ] 0-1
Browne,W Gulko,B US Championship, Seattle [Johan Hellsten] a
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Keres,P Mikenas,V Stockholm Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2002
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king from approaching the pawn. [ After 5...f2 6.f7+ , both e2 ( and 6...g2 7.e7 f3 8.d5 ) 7.e5 e3 8.e4 d2 9.d7+ win for White – Gulko. ] 6.e6+ [ If 6.c6+ , then c3 7.e7 d3 ( or even 7...d4 ) and the white king is too remotely placed. )] 6...c3 7.f5 e3 8.e7 d2 . Black just draws. ½-½
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In view of the threat of Kg7, Black is forced to enter a rook vs. pawn ending. 1...xh7 2.xh7 xd3 3.d7+ A clever check, expelling the black king from its ideal place on a neighbouring file to the pawn. On other moves, 3...e4 draws comfortably. e3! A key move, preparing a later obstruction of the white king. [ 3...c3? loses after 4.e7! d4 5.f7 e4 6.f6 and the white king reaches f3 in time. ] 4.e7 e4 5.d6 The most critical try. [ The game went 5.e6 f2 6.f5 e3 and a draw was soon agreed. ] 5...d4! Only thus, obstructing the enemy
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It is not difficult to see that Black is in big danger here, but by accurate play with the king he managed to save himself. 1...g4! At first sight it seems wrong to block one's own pawn, but Mikenas has concluded that he must turn around his king in order to obstruct its white counterpart once the rook vs. pawn ending is reached. [ In contrast, 1...h4? 2.c8! h7+ 3.e6! xd7 4.xd7 g4 5.e6 g3 6.f5! (king first!) g2 7.f4! wins for White. ] 2.f6 The trickiest try. [ After the analogous 2.c8 h7+ 3.e6 xd7 4.xd7 we can easily appreciate the point behind 1...Kg4: Black now has the obstructive f4! ( or 4...f3! ) , with a draw after 5.e6 g4 6.c4+ f3 7.f5 g3 8.c3+ f2 9.f4 g2 10.c2+ f1 11.f3 g1+! 12.e3 h3 etc. ]
2...f8+! The enemy king must be expelled from the g-pawn. [ Instead, 2...h6+? would let White queen after 3.e5 h8 4.c8 . ] 3.e6 [ Now 3.g6 g8+ is useless for White. ] 3...d8 4.d5 [ We already know that 4.c8 xd7 5.xd7 f4! ( or 5...f3! draws. )] 4...f4! 5.f5+ [ Or 5.e7 xd7+ 6.xd7 g4 with similar play as before. ] 5...g4 6.f7 h3! [ Here, blocking the pawn by 6...g3? loses a crucial tempo after 7.e7 xd7+ 8.xd7 g4 9.e6 h2 10.f5 g3 11.g4 g2 12.h7+ and White wins. ] 7.f5 [ Or 7.e7 xd7+ 8.xd7 g4 9.e6 g3 with a draw soon. ] 7...g4 8.f4 g3 9.f3 h4! [ Black avoids both pitfalls: 9...h8? 10.d8! ] [ and 9...h2? 10.h7+ g1 11.xg3 . ] 10.g7 h5 11.xg3 h6 12.e7 g6 13.f4 f6 14.h7 e6 ½-½
example 33 Reti,R [Johan Hellsten] a
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This ancient study has attracted innumerable chess fans over the years. White seems completely lost, yet by choosing an optimal route for his king the game can be saved.
1.g7! [ 1.h7? h4 2.g6 h3 would be useless. ] 1...h4 2.f6 b6 [ After 2...h3 3.e7 h2 ( or 3...b6 4.d6 ) 4.c7 b7 5.d7 both players queen. ] 3.e5! The key move, with the double intention of 4 Kd6, assisting the c-pawn, and 4 Kf4 (or Ke4), catching the enemy pawn. xc6 [ Or 3...h3 4.d6 h2 5.c7 b7 6.d7 . ] 4.f4 . Draw. Note the king's affinity with diagonal walks – we will soon see more of this in the present section.
Yates,F Marshall,F Carlsbad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c4? When playing so Yates must have overlooked Black's third move. [ With 1.c2! a3 ( or 1...a3 2.b1 ) 2.c3 a1 3.b3 b1+ 4.xb1+ xb1 5.xa3 c2 6.f4 , his idea of transposing to a pawn ending would have been realized successfully. ] 1...b1 2.xb1+ xb1 3.b4 b2! By means of the threat of 4...a3 Black gains a crucial tempo on his way to the white pawn. [ 3...c2? failed to 4.f4 . ] 4.xa4 c3 5.f4 d4 ½-½
Schlage,W Ahues,C Berlin (analysis variation) [Johan Hellsten] a
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By moving his king in V-form, White manages to capture the a7-pawn without letting the black king reach the key square on c7. 1.e6! [ Not 1.e7? c3! 2.d7 d4! ( avoiding 2...c4? 3.c6! with obstruction ) 3.c6 e5 4.b7 d6 5.xa7 c7 and Black reaches his goal. ] 1...c3 2.d5! Obstruction while approaching the queenside. d3 [ Equally useless is 2...b4 3.c6 a5 4.b7 etc. ] 3.c6 e4 4.b7 d5 5.xa7 c6 6.b8 . White wins. The diagonal route (f7-e6d5-c6-b7) is geometrically longer than the straight route (f7-e7-d7-c7-b7), but in both cases it takes the white king four moves to reach b7.
Pozharsky,V Escudero Martinez,A Manresa [Johan Hellsten]
1994
(Diagramme) How should White cope with the enemy apawn while keeping his kingside pawns intact? 1.e1! The right route, in order to keep the epawn mobile.
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[ The more natural 1.e3? permits f6! 2.d4 g5 3.e4 xg4 4.e5 g5 5.d5 a4 6.e6 a3 7.e7 a2 8.e8 a1 with excellent drawing chances – Pozharsky. ] 1...f6 2.e4! e5 [ Or 2...g5 3.e5 with similar play. ] 3.g5 Now that the e- and g-pawns defend themselves mutually, White wins easily by picking up the a-pawn; [ e.g. 3.g5 a4 4.d2 a3 5.c3 etc. ] 1-0
Cheparinov,I Pavasovic,D European Team Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) Apart from being a pawn down, White has to look watch out for the opponent's plan of Kh5h4xh3 followed by the advance of the f-pawn. 1.e2! On its way to f3 the king steps on a light square, which is not a bad general recommendation when the opponent has a bishop of the other colour. [ In contrast, the game saw 1.e3? f6! and White had to resign immediately, in view of 2...Bg5(+) on the next move, with a decisive bishop exchange. ] [ Another idea is 1.b3!? h5 2.e2 h4 3.f3! ( king first; not 3.xh6 g3! ) 3...f4 4.g2! with drawing chances. ] 1...h5
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[ Now if 1...f6 White has time for 2.f4! intending xb2?! 3.xd6 d4 4.f3 . ] 2.f3 f6 3.f4 . White defends.
Popov,I Savchenko,B Ulan Ude [Johan Hellsten] a
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A quick glance reveals that White will soon have to sacrifice his rook for the black d-pawn, after which the location of both kings will decide the outcome of the game. 1.c8! The king approaches the opposite flank without obstructing the rook. [ In contrast, after 1.c6?! d2 2.d7 g5! ( gaining space; 2...e2 loses to 3.f4! d1 4.xd1 xd1 5.d7 e2 6.e7 f3
7.f5 etc ) 3.d5 e2 4.d6 d1 5.xd1 xd1 6.e5 e2 7.f5 xf3 8.xg5 e4! 9.h4 e5 10.h5 f6+ 11.h6 f5 12.g5 f4 13.xh7 f3 14.g6 f2 15.g7 f1 16.g8 d6 , it is a theoretical draw, although White would have some winning chances in practice – Baburin. ] 1...f5 Trying to gain some space before queening the pawn. [ After 1...d2 2.d7 e2 3.f4 ( 3.d8 also works ) 3...d1 4.xd1 xd1 5.f5 , followed by Kd7-e7, White wins. ] 2.gxf5 gxf5 3.d7 f4 4.d8! The point behind 1 Kc8 is revealed: the king can approach the enemy pawns without getting in the way of the rook. d2 5.e7 xf3 [ Or 5...e2 6.f6 d1 7.xd1 xd1 8.f5 – Baburin. ] 6.xd2 Evidently, without the h-pawns on the board this would be a simple draw. Incidentally, when explaining the principle "pawn exchanges favour the defender" (more about this later on in the book), such positions are quite useful as starting points. e3 7.d6 f3 8.e6+ d2 9.h4 [ Avoiding the last pitfall, 9.f6? f2! . ] [ After 9.h4 Black resigned, in view of f2 10.f6 e1 11.h5 f1 12.xf1+ xf1 13.f7 etc. ] 1-0
Socko,B Wojtaszek,R Polish Championship, Warsaw [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) 1.b5! [ There was nothing wrong with the obvious 1.h7 , but White has seen that in the pawn ending arising after the text, his king will be able to enter decisively via the back rank. ] 1...xe7 [ Or 1...d6 2.h7 e5 3.c5! with an easy win – Socko. ] 2.xa6 f7 [ After 2...e8 3.b6! (now Black is lacking the f6-square for his king) d7 4.b7 d6 5.c8 e5 6.d8 ( or 6.b7 , White wins. )] 3.b7! Distant opposition. g8 4.c8 g7 5.c7! g8 6.d6 At this moment Black
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resigned; let's make a few more moves: f7 7.d7 f6 8.e8! White finally manages to bring his king behind the enemy pawns. e5 9.d7 . There follows 10 Kd6 with an easy win – Socko. 1-0
Hellsten,J Eriksson,I Hallsberg [Johan Hellsten] a
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This endgame should be drawn, but White keeps some practical chances due to Black's slightly compromised pawn structure. 1.h3 Diagonal opposition, which helps White take the direct opposition the next move. g5 2.g3 f5? Interestingly, this
natural move loses the game, something that just shows the complexity of pawn endings. [ Correct was 2...f5! , gaining some space; e. g. 3.f3 g6 4.f4 f6 5.g3 (the fact that White already has to push this pawn is the key to the draw) e6 6.g5 e5 7.g6 e6! 8.h5 f4! (a sacrifice on the theme of obstruction) 9.gxf4 f5 10.h6 xf4 11.g6 e5 12.f7 d4 13.e6 c3 14.d6 xb3 15.xc5 xa4 16.b6 b4 17.c5 a4 with a draw. ] 3.f3 e5 4.g4 At this point I had my plan ready: bring the king behind the f-pawn, swap the kingside pawns, move over the king to the queenside and capture on c5 before Black captures on b3. Even so, I erred on my next move. f5+ [ After 4...d4? 5.f5 c3 6.xf6 xb3 7.g4 only White will queen. ] [ As for 4...e4 , White wins in similar style as in the main line, starting with 5.h5 . ] 5.h5? During the game I thought this move was clever, since Black can't oppose with his king either on f5 or on d5, but in fact it throws away half a point! [ Obviously, 5.g5 was useless due to f4 6.g4 e4 and Black holds by opposition. ] [ But by 5.h4! White could have avoided Black's drawing trick on move 6 in the main line, with quite an easy win; e.g. f6 ( or 5...f4 6.h5 g3 7.g5 ) 6.h5 e6 7.g5 e5 8.g3 e6 9.g6 e5 10.f7 , as later happens in the main line. ] 5...f6 6.h6 e5? Black returns the favour. [ By 6...f4! he could have temporarily obstructed the enemy king, while preparing the same pawn sacrifice that we saw in the 2...f5 line; e.g. 7.h5 f5 8.h4 f3! 9.gxf3 f4 10.h5 xf3 11.g5 e4 12.f6 d4 13.e6 c3 and we have in fact transposed to 2...f5 above. ] [ Even 6...f7!? worked; e.g. 7.g3 f6 8.h5 f4! 9.gxf4 f5 and we already know the idea. ] 7.g6 e6 8.g3! e5 9.f7 White finally manages to get behind the enemy pawns with his king, and the rest is easy. d4 10.f6 c3 11.xf5 xb3 12.g4 xc4 13.g5 b3 14.g6 c4 15.g7 c3 16.g8+ b2 17.g7 1-0
Brito,D Ruiz,E Loja [Johan Hellsten] a
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is heavily favoured by having the potential passed pawn on the fifth rank (f5) instead of the fourth (c4). ] 8.b5 Now the white king's entry at c7 can't be prevented. d6 9.b6 d5 10.c7 e4 11.c6! d4 12.d6 . White wins.
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Black has just made a huge mistake by playing ...g6-g5? instead of the correct ...f6-f5. White could now have decided the game in her favour by applying a king raid. 1.f5! This advance doesn't just gain the opposition for White, it also gains space which makes the f-pawn very dangerous in any passed pawn race. [ In contrast, the game went 1.fxg5? hxg5 2.h3 e5 3.e3 d5 and a draw was agreed. ] 1...d6 [ Slightly more tenacious than 1...e5?! 2.c4 d6 3.b5 d5 4.h3 , when we have already reached the position after move 8 in the main line. ] 2.c4 c6 3.h3! Again White takes the opposition. d6 [ Or 3...b6 4.d5 b5 5.e6 b4 6.d6! ( more clear-cut than 6.xf6 ) 6...b5 7.d5 b6 ( if 7...b4 , then 8.c6 ) 8.e6 and the f-pawn is faster. ] 4.b5 d5 5.b6 d6 6.a6! Thus White gains the opposition two moves later, exploiting the fact that 6...Ke6 isn't available for Black. c6 7.a5 d5 [ Black could have tried 7...c4!? in similar spirit to 6...f4 of the previous example, though after 8.bxc4 c5 9.a6 xc4 10.b6 d5 11.c7 e4 12.d6 followed by Ke6, she would be lost anyway. Compared to the previous game, here White
Taimanov,M Fischer,RJ Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten] a
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In such bishop endings, if the weaker side can't put the king in front of the pawn, then its best place is usually behind it, vis-à-vis the enemy king. 1...f4! Preparing a king raid. [ Passive play with this piece would lead to defeat; e.g. 1...f5?! 2.d5 g6? ( it is not yet too late for 2...f4 ) 3.b5 f7 4.c6 e6 5.d4 a5 6.c5 followed by Bd6-c7. ] 2.b5 e4 3.d4 c7 4.c5 d3! 5.c6 c4 6.b6 f4 Due to the correct location of the black king, White can't build a "bridge" on c7 without losing the pawn. Had White managed to bring his king to a6, then Black would have been obliged to transfer his to a4, thus preventing a bridge on a5. 7.a7 c7 ½-½
Zubarev,A Forcen Esteban,E La Roda [Johan Hellsten] a
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White has a rather simple plan at his disposal: Ne8 or Nh5 (threatening Nf6), then after ...Bh8, return the knight to g7, and finally attack the bishop with Kg8. In order to prevent this plan Black must play actively with his king. 1...e5! Preparing a king raid to f5. [ Also possible is 1...d5 2.e8 h8 3.g7 e5 in the same spirit – Lalic/ Baburin, when 4.g8 is met by f6 . ] [ Instead, the game went 1...d7? 2.e8 h8 3.g8? ( we already know the correct move: 3.g7! , preparing Kg8 ) 3...b2 and a draw was agreed, although by 4.f7 h8 5.g7! White could still have won the game. ] 2.e8 f5 . White can't make progress.
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1...d4!? 2.d8+? Overlooking the opponent's idea. [ By 2.g8 , changing the angle of his rook, White would have won easily; e.g. h2 ( or 2...h6+ 3.b5 followed by Rd8 ) 3.g5 , cutting off the enemy king – Baburin. ] 2...c4! By now an ideal place for the king, where it limits the movements of its white counterpart. Obviously, had White played 2 Rg8, he could now have chased away the king by 3 Rg4+. 3.c8 h6+ 4.b7 b5! 5.c7 [ Or 5.c6 g6 6.c7 b6+ with a perpetual. ] 5...g6 6.c6 h6 7.c8 g6 8.d8 xc6 9.d5+ c5 10.xc5+ xc5 ½-½
Makarichev,S Lerner,K USSR Championship, Minsk [Johan Hellsten]
1979
(Diagramme) Zaragatski,I Nyback,T German League [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) Black is lost due to his badly placed king, which should have been located on the short side of the pawn, i.e. on a7 or a6. However, he came up with a clever idea in practice: the attempt at a king raid.
Here is a similar case, where Black is again in trouble due to his remotely placed king. 1...f6! Preparing a king raid is the only chance for salvation. [ Instead, the game went 1...f5? 2.f7+! g6 3.f4 a5+ 4.c6 a6+ 5.b5 and White later won. ] 2.xc4 e5 3.c5 [ Or 3.c6 b8! (preventing Kb5) 4.c5 e4 with similar play – Dvoretsky. ] 3...e4! The key move, which prepares Kd3 in order to tie the enemy pieces to the defence
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of the pawn. 4.c4 d3 5.d7+ [ After 5.d5 d8+ ] [ or 5.b5 b8+ , Black holds. ] 5...c3 6.d5 b4 7.c5 [ Or 7.b7+ a5 8.c5 a6 , followed by ... Rh8, with similar play. ] 7...b5 8.c6 h8! The rook shifts to the long side of the pawn, thus enabling a side attack. (We will study such positions quite thoroughly in Chapter Three.) Black defends – Dvoretsky; [ e.g. 8...h8 9.b7+ a6 10.b1 h5+ 11.e6 h6+ 12.d7 h7+ etc. ]
Kotov,A Eliskases,E Saltsjöbaden Interzonal [Johan Hellsten]
1952
(Diagramme) Without the g5-pawn on the board, Black would make an easy draw by rear checks, but here White wins easily by using the g6-square as a shelter for his king. 1.e6 e2+ 2.f5 g4 [ Or 2...f2+ 3.g6! with similar play. ] 3.g6! White ignores the g-pawn and installs his king on the sheltered square. f2 4.f7+ f8 5.b8+ e7 6.e8+ . In view of 7 f8Q coming next, Black resigned. 1-0
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Berkes,F Horvath,A Hungarian Championship, Kazincbarcika [Johan Hellsten] a
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At first sight it is not easy to see how White can convert his superior activity into something more concrete, since the desired 1 Kf6?? runs into 1...Rxf4+. Berkes finds a great solution: create a shelter for his king by means of a powerful double pawn sacrifice. 1.d5! [ Less powerful is 1.a7? xf4 2.xg6 xh4 3.f6 xd4 4.xe6 f8! (towards the short side of the enemy pawn) 5.xa5 e4 ( or 5...b4 ) 6.a8+ g7 7.d6 f7 with a draw. ]
[ Also wrong is 1.f5?! due to gxf5+! 2.f6 f4 , when both 3.xe6? ( and 3.d5? f3 ) 3...g6+ fail tactically for White. ] 1...exd5 2.e6! d4 [ On 2...xh4 ] [ or 2...a4 , White replies as in the game. ] 3.f5! gxf5+ 4.f6 The shelter is ready. e4 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 4...d3 5.e7+ d8 ( or 5...f8 6.a7 ) 6.d7+ e8 7.xd3 e4 8.g3! (deflecting the black rook from the e-file) g4 9.c3 d4 10.c8+ d8 11.xd8+ xd8 12.f7 etc. ] 5.a7 [ In view of 5.a7 d8 6.e7+ c8 7.a8+ d7 8.d8+ c6 9.xd4! , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Granda Zuniga,J Vladimirov,E Tilburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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[ Neither does 1...f4+ make sense, in view of 2.g3 hxg5 3.h6 h4 4.h7 and the threat of -- 5.h8+ xh8 6.a8+ again decides. ] 2.g4 hxg5 [ Or 2...g1+ 3.f5 xg5+ 4.e6 , winning – Granda. ] 3.h7! A key move to liberate the king from the defence of the h-pawn. [ The immediate 3.f5? permits xh5 4.e6 h6+ 5.d5 h1! 6.c6 ( 6.g7 , preparing 7 Rg6, is useless as Black can play the move ...Kd7 once the white rook leaves the seventh rank ) 6...c1+ 7.d5 h1! , neutralizing the shelter idea. ] [ Probably 3.xg5 works too: e4 4.e7! ( but not 4.h6? e3 5.e7 g1+ 6.f6 f1+ 7.g7 g1+ 8.h8 g3 9.h7 c8 and White seems unable to progress; e.g. 10.g7 e2! 11.e7 g2 etc ) 4...g1+ 5.f5 e3 ( or 5...h1 6.h7 e3 7.e6 ) 6.xe3 h1 7.g6 g1+ 8.h7 d7 9.d3 g2 10.h6 g1 11.h8 g2 12.h7 g1 13.a3 and White wins by Ra8-g8 followed by the king's withdrawal. Anyway, Granda's solution is much more clear-cut. ] 3...e4 [ After 3...d1 4.h6 xd6 5.h8+ , followed by 6 h7, White wins by one tempo. ] 4.f5! e3 5.e6 The shelter is ready, and Black can only rely on desperate moves. c8 6.d7+ c7 7.e7! [ Avoiding the trap 7.h8 d1 8.c8+ b7 9.d8?? ( although 9.c2 wins as well ) 9...xd8 10.xd8 e2 . ] 7...d1 8.e8 . In view of the inevitable 9 d8Q, Black resigned. 1-0
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White is a pawn up, but with such a passive king it is difficult for him to aspire at anything. With his next move Granda addresses this issue. 1.g5! This advance doesn't just creates a passed pawn on the h-file, it also clears a path for the king towards the shelter on e6. h1+ [ After 1...hxg5+ 2.xg5 g1+ ( or 2...e4 3.h6 and the h-pawn costs Black a rook ) 3.f6 , followed by 4 Ke6, White wins at once. ]
Krush,I Akopian,V Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten]
2007
(Diagramme) In queen endings the power of passed pawns increase dramatically, since the queen is very good at assisting their advance, and other factors such as material become secondary. Thus in the above position White, despite being a pawn down, is very close to winning,
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thanks to her strong e-pawn. 1.d8+ h7 2.e7! A very appropriate choice. White doesn't fear a series of enemy queen checks, aware that her king will have excellent sheltering possibilities on the queenside. Interestingly, if we take the c4pawn off the board, Black's drawing chances would increase greatly. g1+ 3.c2 xg2+ 4.c3 f3+ 5.b4! The enemy pawns should of course remain on the board, in order to obstruct the black queen. a5+ 6.c5! In the same spirit. [ After 6.xa5? a3+ , it is far from clear that White can avoid a perpetual. ] 6...xh5+ 7.c6 g6+ 8.c7 g3+ 9.c8! Thanks to the c-pawn, White's king is safe here; [ in view of 9.c8 h3+ 10.d7 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Marshall,F Tarrasch,S Ostend [Johan Hellsten]
1907
(Diagramme) Material is equal but Black's advanced epawn yields him a clear advantage. 1...e4! Black should advance the passed pawn as far as possible, without bothering about the enemy queen checks, just like in the previous example. 2.b5+ d4! We already know that in queen endings, the
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sheltering possibilities tend to be higher in enemy territory. 3.b6+ d3 4.a6+ e3! The h-pawn doesn't matter, the main thing is to assist the e-pawn. [ After 4...c2?! 5.a4+! , the king would have to return. ] 5.xh6+ e2 Thanks to his clever first move, Black can calmly offer a queen exchange. 6.h5+ e1 7.g4 White's checks are over for the moment, so he clears some space for his queen, and advances his own passed pawn. e3 8.c5 [ In the event of 8.g5 e2 9.g6 , a good plan for Black would be to bring his king to a shelter square on a1; e.g. f2 ( not 9...d1? 10.g7 and the d-pawn is pinned ) 10.h2+ f3 11.h3+ e4 12.g2+ d4 13.g4+ c3 14.g3+ b2 15.e5+ b1 16.e4+ a1 17.e5+ b2 and wins. ] 8...d1 [ Of course not 8...e2?? 9.g1# ] 9.f5 e2! Whenever it can, the passed pawn should advance. [ In contrast, the game went 9...f2? 10.b1+ e2 11.b5+ f3 12.d5+ and White later managed a perpetual, now that the black queen can no longer neutralize the side checks from b1 and b2. ] 10.b1+ c1 11.d3+ e1 12.g2 [ Obviously, 12.g3+ runs into d2+ (with check). After the text only one step remains for Black to win the game: dislodge the enemy king from the g-file in order to shelter his own king on g1. ] 12...c6+! 13.g1 c5+ 14.g2 f2+! 15.h3 f1 16.g5 g1 . Thanks to the
shelter provided by the g5-pawn, Black's king can no longer be harassed by checks, and the e-pawn queens on the next move.
Topalov,V Kasparov,G Linares [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black is a pawn down but his pieces are very active. Kasparov finds a brilliant idea. 1...c3! Instead of capturing any of the enemy pawns, Black approaches his king in order to create a mating net. For this idea to work, the d4-pawn must evidently remain on the board. 2.d8 [ The equally active 2.b5!? xd4+ 3.f3 d5+ 4.f2 axb5 5.c8+ , preparing a5a6, was perhaps a better practical try – Stohl. ] 2...d3+ 3.f4 [ Probably 3.f2 was better, although after f4! 4.g5 xd4+ 5.e2 d2+ 6.f1 e3 , Black should win – Stohl. ] 3...d2+ [ Kasparov also suggests 3...d2!? 4.g5 f4! , when the pawn is immune due to mate and its further advance can't be easily parried. ] [ Of course 3...xd4+?? 4.xd4+ xd4 5.b5 wasn't Black's idea. ] 4.f3 d1+ 5.e3 [ Or 5.f2 f4! 6.c8+ d2 , followed by a check on either e2 or g3-h4, after which the ...f5-f4-f3 advance decides. ] 5...g1+! The mating net is taking shape.
6.e2 [ Obviously, 6.f4 fails to d3 , e.g. 7.f3 f4! 8.g5 f1# ] [ while after 6.f3 f1+ 7.e3 ( or 7.g3 f4+ 8.h2 e2+ 9.h1 f3 10.g5 f2 and the passed pawn takes its toll ) 7...f4+ 8.e4 d2! , Black gives mate on d3-e3 – Stohl. ] 6...g2+ 7.e3 [ White is also mated after 7.e1 d3 . ] 7...f4+! [ In view of 7...f4+ 8.xf4 d3! 9.g5 f2# , White resigned. ] 0-1
Chapter Two
Pawn Themes The passed pawn Connected passed pawns Separated passed pawns Protected passed pawns Outside passed pawns The breakthrough Pawn majorities One pawn stops two Passed pawns races
The passed pawn The passed pawn holds a tremendous importance in the chess battle, and I investigated the subject quite extensively in Mastering Chess Strategy. Here are some more examples, with focus on the endgame stage. Example 52 V.Korchnoi-G.Kasparov, Wijk aan Zee 2000 A passed pawn has a kind of dual nature – it can be incredibly strong, exhausting all the enemy resources, but it can also turn into a weakness if insufficiently protected. Example 53 F.Vallejo Pons-S.Mamedyarov, Calvia Olympiad 2004 Example 54 J.Hellsten-L.Fernandez Siles, Copenhagen 1996 Example 55 B.Larsen-U.Andersson, Stockholm (7th matchgame) 1975 Here is one more example illustrating the principle that the passed pawn annuls any other positional factors. Example 56 A.Karpov-A.Miles, London 1982 Of course a passed pawn doesn't mean an automatic win. In the example below, Black, despite being a pawn down, managed to save himself by launching a direct attack on the d5-pawn. Example 57 A.Karpov-V.Korchnoi, Candidates final (8th matchgame), Moscow 1974 The passed pawn can also be used as a defensive weapon, as in the next example. Example 58 V.Salov-S.Gligoric, Belgrade 1987 Next, let's see a few examples from earlier stages of the game, where the passed pawn is yet to be created, and by different means. Example 59 V.Salov-J.Lautier, Wijk aan Zee 1991 Example 60 J.Gallagher-P.Svidler, Biel 2000 Example 61 E.Sutovsky-Cu.Hansen, Malmö 2003
E.Sutovsky-Cu.Hansen, Malmö 2003 Example 62 V.Kramnik-J.Timman, Novgorod 1995 Finally, let's see two examples where one player overlooked or underestimated the opponent's passed pawn (existing or potential), and duly paid for it. Example 63 O.Ivkina-K.Lahno, Russian Team Championship 2009 Example 64 A.Kochyev-Cu.Hansen, Moscow 1989
Connected passed pawns A pair of connected passed pawns is normally a huge asset in any endgame. In the position below, White wins by mechanically moving his kingside pieces forward step by step. Example 65 L.Szabo-P.Keres, Moscow 1956 Here is another rook ending on the same topic. Example 66 J.Polgar-V.Gashimov, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2009 Example 67 A.Alekhine-C.H.Alexander, Margate 1937 Now let's see a few examples where one side succeeds in creating the fearful connected passed pawns. Example 68 A.Alekhine-P.Frydman, Podebrady 1936 Example 69 V.Smyslov-L.Stein, USSR Championship, Moscow 1969 Here is one more example on this topic. Example 70 G.Timochenko-S.Makarichev, USSR Spartakiad, Moscow 1979 Finally, it is worth noticing that the creation of connected passed pawns sometimes motivates sacrifices. Here is a simple example showing such a motif. Example 71 M.Carlsen-A.Grischuk, Linares 2009 Example 72 J.Hellsten-E.Cordova, Turin Olympiad 2006
Separated passed pawns Now let's examine some positions with separated passed pawns. Example 73 G.Levenfish, V.Smyslov Example 74 J.Sunye Neto-D.Velimirovic, Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 This reminds me of a tragicomical endgame of my own. Example 75
Example 75 J.Hellsten-D.Stojanovic, Belgrade 2002 Separated passed pawns are also frequent in pawn endings, and there is even a rule saying that when they form a square together with their queening squares, they prove decisive. Example 76 Example 77 Example 78 N.Short-T.Hillarp Persson, Malmö 2009 Here is a final example, which shows once more that in pawn endings the separated passed pawns can often prove stronger than their connected counterparts. Example 79 F.Velikhanli-S.Nadir, Abu Dhabi 2003
Protected passed pawns A protected passed pawn is a great asset in any endgame. Here is one simple example. Example 80 L.Alburt Example 81 M.Tal-R.Fuchs, Kislovodsk 1964 Example 82 R.Danielsson-Joh.Larsson, Swedish Team Championship 2007 Example 83 A.Khalifman-E.Shaposhnikov, St Petersburg 1998 The idea of creating a protected passed pawn can take place in earlier stages of the game as well. Here is one example. Example 84 E.Dearing-S.Erenburg, Budapest 2004
Outside passed pawns The outside passed pawn is a common feature in practice, with particular relevance in pawn endings. Here is a typical example. Example 85 Y.Averbakh Example 86 C.Schlechter-S.Tartakower, Carlsbad 1907 Next, let's see some examples on the topic of transposing to a pawn ending with a decisive outside passed pawn. Example 87 R.J.Fischer-B.Larsen, Candidates semi-final (5th matchgame), Denver 1971 “A knight ending is in fact a pawn ending,” said Botvinnik – or something similar – although Speelman disagrees with this statement in his interesting work Analysing the Endgame. Whoever is right, the following example shows that the value of an outside passed pawn increases drastically once the rooks leave the board. Example 88 Wl.Schmidt-G.Kasparov, Dubai Olympiad 1986
Example 89 A.Chernin-V.Chuchelov, Cappelle la Grande 1994 Example 90 A.Alekhine-E.Andersen, Folkestone Olympiad 1933 Example 91 G.Lisitsin-J.R.Capablanca (analysis variation), Moscow 1935 Example 92 E.Bareev-A.Chernin, Pula 1988 Example 93 B.Predojevic-M.Oleksienko, Moscow 2011 Example 94 O.Zambrana-G.Soppe, Havana 2005 Finally, let's see two examples where the idea of creating an outside passed pawn wasn't properly anticipated by its opponent, a situation we already came across in Schlechter-Tartakower. Example 95 K.Sasikiran-L.D.Nisipeanu, Spanish Team Championship 2006 Even in endings with opposite-coloured bishops, the outside passed pawn remains a relevant factor, as in the next example. Example 96 W.Unzicker-M.Botvinnik, Varna Olympiad 1962
The breakthrough The breakthrough is quite a common idea in practice. By diverting an enemy pawn, usually by means of a sacrifice, we manage to create a passed pawn. Here are some examples, starting with an archetypal one. Example 97 Example 98 Y.Seirawan Here is a similar, albeit slightly more complex case. Example 99 I.Mullen Example 100 N.Weinstein-M.Rohde, Lone Pine 1977 Let's see an almost identical case with reversed colours. The fact that the right continuation was again overlooked in the game confirms the complexity and hiddenness of this idea in practice. Example 101 S.Mamedyarov-I.Sokolov, Hoogeveen 2006 Example 102 Y.Averbakh Example 103 B.Grachev-V.Potkin, Ulan Ude 2009 Example 104 P.Cramling-C.Seyfried, Gibraltar 2011 Example 105
Example 105 J.Hellsten-C.Michel Yunis (analysis variation), Santiago 2005 Occasionally the minor pieces can help with the breakthrough, as in the following examples. Example 106 Z.Gyimesi-I.Glek, German League 2009 Example 107 P.Leko-S.Karjakin, Nice (blindfold rapid) 2009 Example 108 G.Bonner-A.Medina Garcia, Haifa Olympiad 1976 Example 109 V.Smyslov-Yastrebov, Moscow 1936 As we just saw, even with more pieces on the board the breakthrough remains an important idea. Here are some further examples. Example 110 A.Kosteniuk-J.Polgar, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2009 Example 111 V.Anand-T.Hillarp Persson, Benidorm (rapid) 2003 Example 112 V.Wahltuch-J.R.Capablanca, London 1922 Example 113 G.Borgo-V.Iordachescu, Reggio Emilia 2006/07 Example 114 M.Adams-D.Fridman, Gibraltar 2012 Let's see an almost identical case on the opposite flank. Example 115 J.Polgar-R.Edouard, European Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2011 Example 116 G.Stahlberg-E.Geller, Zürich Candidates 1953 Example 117 H.Nakamura-A.Giri, FIDE Grand Prix, London 2012 Example 118 S.Gligoric-C.Ionescu, Sochi 1986 Example 119 S.Tatai-S.Mariotti, Rome (match) 1972 Example 120 A.Rotstein-K.Sundararajan, Groningen 2008 Example 121 R.Akesson-J.Barkhagen, Swedish Championship, Linköping 2001 In endings with opposite-coloured bishops the breakthrough is an important resource, as we will see in the next example. Example 122 E.Videnova-D.Raznikov, European Championship, Plovdiv 2012 Here is a more complex example analysed by legendary endgame theoretician Averbakh, on the basis of the game
Here is a more complex example analysed by legendary endgame theoretician Averbakh, on the basis of the game V.Smyslov-Y.Averbakh, USSR Championship, Moscow 1950. Example 123 Y.Averbakh Example 124 R.Sergeev-J.Hellsten, Tallinn 1993
Pawn majorities In Mastering Chess Strategy I touched upon pawn majorities quite thoroughly, so here I will limit myself to some shorter examples. First, let's see a few cases where, for different reasons, one of the players can't easily mobilize his pawn majority. Example 125 T.V.Petrosian-J.Kozma, Munich Olympiad 1958 Example 126 R.J.Fischer-W.Addison, US Championship, Cleveland 1957 Example 127 J.Hellsten-J.Waitzkin, Bermuda 1997 Example 128 S.Gligoric-M.Filip, Zagreb 1965 Next, let's see two examples originating fromMastering Chess Strategy, where both sides have sound pawn majorities. Example 129 S.Erenburg-A.Murariu, Las Palmas 2003 Example 130 C.Bauer-O.Korneev, Pamplona 2006
One pawn stops two In Gligoric-Filip we saw how White's two queenside pawns prevented the advance of the three black pawns on the same flank. Such a situation – one pawn stops two, two stop three, or even three stop four – is not uncommon in endgame practice. Here are some further examples. Example 131 Let's see a practical ending where Black used the “one pawn stops two” idea to win the game. Example 132 R.Akesson-M.Oleksienko, Cappelle la Grande 2007 Example 133 J.Hellsten-D.Vaca, Ambato 2009 Example 134 L.Aronian-V.Tkachiev, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2009 Example 135 G.Levenfish-S.Flohr, Moscow 1936
Passed pawns races One of the most intriguing endgame situations is when both sides have a passed pawn ready to “run”. Such pawn races sometimes end up in a queen ending, but the result can also be determined earlier if one side manages to: a) promote with check; b) promote and control the opponent's queening square; or c) achieve a queen exchange (or a skewer winning the queen) after the dual promotion. Obviously, a lot of calculation is required. Let's see some
skewer winning the queen) after the dual promotion. Obviously, a lot of calculation is required. Let's see some examples of this topic. Example 136 Example 137 B.Larsen-W.Uhlmann, Las Palmas (9th matchgame) 1971 Example 138 R.J.Fischer-R.Letelier Martner, Mar del Plata 1959 Example 139 M.Quinteros-U.Andersson, America vs. Europe match, Mar del Plata 1981 Example 140 J.Marsalek-V.Smyslov, European Team Championship, Oberhausen 1961 Here is a game between two of my students, in which White could have triumphed in the pawn race by precise play. Example 141 J.Asqui-L.Paredes, Riobamba 2012 Example 142 A.Shirov-A.Morozevich, Jurmala (rapid) 2012 Example 143 H.Mas-L.Valdes, Turin Olympiad 2006 Example 144 L.Ftacnik-M.Bluvshtein, Nuremberg 2010 Example 145 R.Vaganian-J.Lautier, Manila Interzonal 1990 Chapter 3: Rook Themes Back to Contents Page
g7! , followed by ...h3-h2, White resigned. ] 0-1
Korchnoi,V Kasparov,G Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
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Material is equal but Black has a clear advantage thanks to his more active pieces (in particular, the enemy knight is very badly placed on a4) and superior pawn structure. Kasparov proceeds with the most obvious plan in the position. 1...h5! Passed pawns should move forward, as the old saying goes. 2.c5 g2+ 3.e2 h4! Forward! The idea of enhancing a passed pawn at the cost of material is quite typical not only in the endgame, but in the middlegame as well. 4.xe5+ g4 5.e8 Opting for a rear attack, usually a good option in the battle against a passed pawn, but here Black will be able to neutralize it with simple means. [ Nevertheless, after 5.f1 f4 6.f5 d7! ] [ or 5.f3+!? xf3 6.g5+ xg5 7.xf3 e1+ 8.f2 d3+ 9.f3 e5+! 10.g2 g4 , White is lost anyway; e.g. 11.c5 h3+ 12.f2 ( or 12.h2 h4 ) 12...h4 13.e6 d3+ 14.f3 e1+ 15.f2 h2 – Kasparov. ] [ As for 5.xa5 , after h3 6.f3+ h4 7.f2 f4 8.a8 h7! 9.g1 g7+ 10.h1 d3 , heading for f2, Black is again winning – Krasenkow. ] 5...f4+ 6.e3 h3 7.f3+ [ Or 7.g8+ h4 with the decisive threat of ...Nh5, building a "bridge". ] 7...h4 [ In view of 7...h4 8.h8+ h5 9.f2
Vallejo Pons,F Mamedyarov,S Calvia Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black has just played ...Kg8-f7 in order to approach the c7-pawn, a plan that White must stop by any means. 1.c6! e7 2.c5! An important triumph for White – the opponent's king cannot get any closer to the passed pawn. e5 3.h5 By this move Vallejo signals the plan of a new "front" on the kingside which, if successful, is bound to exhaust Black's defences. e4 4.f1 d4 5.g4! [ Another tempting option was 5.a6 , when d7 can be met by 6.b8+ , but Vallejo's solution is more clear-cut. ] 5...xc5 6.xc5 d6 7.c1 e5 [ Both 7...xc7 8.xc7 xc7 9.g5 ] [ and 7...d4 8.g5 hxg5 9.h6 d3 10.e1! d5 11.h7 win for White – Finkel. ] 8.g5! hxg5 9.c6! Before pushing the hpawn, White cuts off the enemy king from the sixth rank. d4 10.h6 d5 11.c1 d6 12.h7 d7 By now virtually any move wins for White, since Black will end up in zugzwang. 13.c4 [ In view of lines like 13.c4 d3 14.d4+ e7 15.d8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Hellsten,J Fernandez Siles,L Copenhagen [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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Larsen,B Andersson,U Stockholm match [Johan Hellsten]
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1975
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Material is equal but White has a magnificent passed pawn; besides, the bishop tends to outperform the knight in open positions. 1.a6 The further this pawn gets, the stronger. [ Other moves are less convincing; e.g. 1.c4?! c7 2.a6? xa6 3.xa6 g5! , simplifying to a theoretical draw. ] 1...g5 2.a7 c7 3.f2 Heading for the queenside to assist the passed pawn. [ Of course 3.g2?! gxf4 4.a8? xa8 5.xa8 also had to be avoided. ] 3...gxf4 4.f3 g5 5.c4 Due to the knight's inability to lose tempi, Black will soon end up in zugzwang. a8 6.d5 c7 7.c6 g6 [ 7...h6 8.b7 doesn't change anything. ] 8.xf4 f6 9.b7 h6 10.e3! Heading for b6, a plan that Black can only prevent temporarily. e5 11.d3 d6 12.c4 d7 [ 12...f4 13.f3 is similar. ] 13.c5 d8 14.c6 e7 15.b6 d8 16.b7 f4 17.e4! Losing a tempo. d7 18.f3 d8 19.c6 . Finding himself in a fatal zugzwang, Black resigned. 1-0
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As we discussed in Krush-Akopian, the queen is an excellent companion of the passed pawn, something that converts the latter into the key factor of many queen endings. 1.a5! White pins all his hopes on the passed pawns. d4 2.b7! xf2+ [ Or 2...d3 3.xf7+ e4 4.b6 with an easy win. ] 3.g2 e3 4.b6! [ But not 4.a6? d3 and the pawns can't advance any further. ] 4...b3? This attempt to control the passed pawns fails fatally to White's next move. [ The brave 4...d3! 5.b7 d2 had to be tried; e.g. 6.b8 ( or 6.f1+?! g4! 7.b8 xg3+ 8.h1 h4+ with a perpetual ) 6...d1 7.h3+ f6 8.h4+ g5!? 9.hxg6+ g5 10.b6+ g7 and Black is still alive. ] 5.a6! An elegant sacrifice which secures the promotion of the a-pawn. xb6 6.b7 a5 7.a7 [ In view of 7.a7 a2+ 8.h3 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Karpov,A Miles,A London [Johan Hellsten] a
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1982
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Karpov,A Korchnoi,V Candidates final, Moscow (8) [Johan Hellsten]
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1974
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1.xd5! A splendid exchange sacrifice to support the a6-pawn. xd5 2.c3! d8 [ After 2...a8? 3.g2 ] [ or 2...xc3+ 3.xc3 c5+ 4.b4 c7 5.g2 , White is winning – Karpov ] [ and 2...dc5 3.xc5 dxc5 4.g2! is similar. ] 3.c7!? A flexible choice. [ Obviously, 3.g2? d4 4.a7 d5! had to be avoided ] [ but the straightforward 3.a7 was equally strong; e.g. b4 ( or 3...d1 4.xb5 a8 5.c7 with similar play to the game ) 4.axb4 d1 5.a6 a1 6.b5 a8 7.c7 , followed by Kb4, c4-c5 etc, with the king entering the enemy camp sooner or later. ] 3...d1 [ 3...d4 now fails to 4.xb5 ] [ and 3...c5 was still bad due to 4.xc5 dxc5 5.g2 . ] 4.xb5 e5 5.a7! Enjoying sufficient support, the passed pawn finally advances with decisive effect. exf4 6.b7 b1+ 7.a4 xb5 8.xb5 f3 9.b8 f2 10.xd8+ 1-0
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1...f6! The king should approach the pawn while it is insufficiently protected, and this is the right route. [ In contrast, 1...f8?! permits 2.e5! c7 3.f4 with Kf3-e4 coming up. ] 2.f1 [ The attempt to create a "barrier" (more on this topic in Chapter Four) by 2.d2 c7 3.c4 fails to b5 . ] 2...e7 3.d2 [ Or 3.e2 d6 4.g5 f5! – Speelman. ] 3...c7! [ Some prophylaxis is required, since the immediate 3...d6? would fail to 4.c4+ c5 5.d6 c6 6.d7 c7 7.e5+! d6 8.d8+! xd8 9.xf7+ e7 10.xd8 xd8 11.f4 etc – Speelman. ] 4.e4 [ Or 4.c4 b5 5.e3 d6 , followed by ... Bb6, and the d-pawn falls anyway. ] 4...f5! Preventing 5 g5 with a decisive barrier. Besides, pawn exchanges tend to help the defender. 5.gxf5 gxf5 6.c5 d6! 7.xb7+ xd5 White remains a pawn up, but he is now forced to weaken his pawn structure in order to save the badly placed knight. 8.b4 c4! 9.c5 [ Or 9.a3 b3 10.c5+ xa3 11.xa6 b6 12.e2 a4 , followed by ...Kb5 – Speelman. ] 9...b6! [ Obviously, both 9...xb4?? 10.xa6+ ]
[ and 9...a5? 10.e6! had to be avoided. ] 10.xa6 b5 11.c5 xb4 12.b3 a3 [ Draw agreed, in view of 12...a3 13.c1 b2 . ] ½-½
Salov,V Gligoric,S Belgrade [Johan Hellsten] a
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[ for example 5.c8+ d2 6.b8 c1 7.c8+ d1 8.b8 . ]
Salov,V Lautier,J Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
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Black's passed b-pawn is a huge asset; even so, White could have saved this endgame by accurate defence. 1.h4! Pinning his hopes on his own passed pawn. [ In contrast, the game went 1.f3? b4 2.xf4 b3 3.b8 c3! (in order to create a bridge by ...Rd4-b4) 4.c8+ b4 5.c1 h5! ( less convincing is 5...b2? 6.b1 c3 7.g4 c2 8.xb2+ xb2 9.h4 – Gligoric ) 6.b1 c3 7.h1 b2 8.g4 a5! (winning a tempo by the threat ...Ra1) 9.b1 a1 10.xb2 xb2 11.f5 f1+ 12.g6 c3 13.h4 d4 14.h5 e5 15.h6 g1 and in view of 16.h7 xg4+ 17.h5 g1 , White resigned. ] 1...b4 2.h5 b3 3.h6 b2 [ Or 3...h5 4.h7 b2 5.b8 xh7 6.xb2 with a dead draw ] [ whereas after 3...b5?! 4.h7 b2 5.d8+ , followed by h8Q, only White is playing for a win, since he will have the first check. ] 4.b8 c3 5.c8+! Black can't make progress - Gligoric;
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Black has just played ...Ra8-d8, contesting the open file. Salov found an elegant way of transposing to a superior endgame. 22.d6! xd6 It is hard to see any alternative; [ e.g. 22...f8 23.g5! , intending f6 24.xc6! ] [ or 22...f8 23.xe6! fxe6 24.xe6+ , followed by 25 Nxe5 with a huge advantage. ] 23.cxd6 xd6 24.xe6! Damaging the enemy pawn structure and avoiding any tactical pitfalls; [ such as 24.xa7? d1+ 25.g2 ef4+! 26.gxf4 xf4+ 27.g3 h5+ with a draw. ] 24...xe6 [ Or 24...fxe6 25.g5 , followed by Nxe6, and Black will even have problems with his king. ] 25.xe6 fxe6 26.xa7 This is what White was aiming at four moves ago: the passed apawn is a giant, and Black's minor pieces are too remotely placed to challenge it. f6 27.a4! d7 [ Or if 27...xe4 28.a5 c3 29.a6 d5 30.c5 c7 31.a7 e4 32.g5 is winning – Salov. ] 28.a5 f8 29.a6 c5 30.d2 f7 31.c4
[ After 31.c4 , faced with threats like -32.b8 xb8 33.a7 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
[ Or 51.b4 e4 – Svidler. ] 51...c7 52.e3 g4 0-1
Gallagher,J Svidler,P Biel [Johan Hellsten] a
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2000
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Sutovsky,E Hansen,Cu Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
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2003
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White has just offered a queen exchange by 38 Qe2-d3?, hoping that a minor piece endgame would yield him more chances to neutralize Black's initiative. But piece exchanges don't always favour the defender. 38...xd3! Svidler has seen that by simple means he can create a strong outside passed pawn, just like in the previous example. 39.xd3 xc3 40.bxc3 d7! 41.c2 [ 41.b5? failed to xb5 42.axb5 a4 . ] 41...b5! 42.axb5 xb5 By now several factors speak in Black's favour: the outside passed pawn, a potential weakness on e4, and White's distant king. 43.g2 a4 44.c4 [ Or 44.f3 a3 45.b3 d3 46.a2 e7 47.e3 c2 with similar play as in the game. ] 44...a3! Of course Black rejects the pawn swap. With his next two moves White avoids instant defeat, but the passed pawn and the "second weakness" on e4 will soon exhaust his defences. 45.b3 a4 46.a2 e7 47.f3 c2 48.e3 d7 49.d2 [ Since 49.f3 c7 , followed by the black king's entrance, is hopeless for him, Gallagher abandons the e4-pawn. ] 49...xe4 50.c3 f3 51.d3
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In a typical French endgame, Black has hesitated with the ...f6xe5 capture, and Sutovsky now manages to create a strong passed pawn on the h-file. 28.exf6+! gxf6 [ After 28...xf6?! 29.b5 the weaknesses on e5 and e6 are quite strongly felt; e.g. b8 30.g5+ e7 31.xd7 xd7 32.c6 , preparing 33 Nd4 with a clear advantage. ] 29.g5! fxg5 30.fxg5 hxg5 31.h6! Given the absence of black pieces on the kingside, this move certainly suggests itself. The g5-pawn can wait. a8 [ On 31...g4!? there can follow 32.h7 a8 33.h4 f6 34.b5! and White wins material, although after h8 35.xc6 xc6 36.xc6 xc6 37.xc6 xh7 Black might actually have better drawing chances than in the game – the knight is not very comfortable in such open positions with pawns on both flanks. ] 32.b5! A typical method for the side possessing a passed pawn: create a new front on a different part of the board, in order to exhaust the enemy defences. d6?! After this natural reply White wins comfortably. [ The last practical chance was 32...b4!?
33.xd7 xa2 , when White would have to find 34.c8! xb3+ 35.f2 xc1 36.xa8 d3+ 37.g3 . At this point, both e1 ( and 37...e5 are decisively met by 38.h7 – Sutovsky. )] 33.h7 d4+ [ After 33...e7 34.xd7 xd7 35.e5+ d6 36.f7+ ] [ or 33...h8 34.xc6 xc6 35.xg5! xc5 36.f7+ e7 37.xh8 xc1 38.g6+ , White wins – Sutovsky. ] 34.d2! The most technical way, avoiding any tactical surprises. e5 35.xg5 The threat of 36 Nf7+ (or 36 h8Q) proves irresistible. xb5 36.xb5 e7 37.b7! . In view of the multiple threats, Black resigned. 1-0
Kramnik,V Timman,J Novgorod [Johan Hellsten] a
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1995
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game. [ Perhaps 24...bxa5!? 25.dxc8 xc8 was a lesser evil; e.g. 26.d4 xd4 27.xd4 with a clear, but not decisive advantage – Yusupov. ] 25.xe7! xe7 [ Obviously, 25...bxa5? failed to 26.xf6 – Ftacnik. ] 26.xa7 Despite material equality and opposite-coloured bishops, White has a huge edge thanks to his far advanced passed pawn. b8 Assigning the blockading task to the bishop means that Black will be left without active pieces; [ but after 26...c5 27.c6 , preparing Re1-e8, Ra8 etc, it is hard to see any defence for him either. ] 27.e1 d8 28.e8! Immobilizing most of the enemy pieces. b5 29.a8 xa8 30.xa8 b4 31.d5 g7 32.f1 [ Black resigned, already aware that he can't prevent a decisive transfer of the white king to c6; 32.f1 f5 33.e2 c7 34.d3 d8 35.c4 a5 36.b5 c7 37.xb4 , followed by Kb5-c6-b7-c8. ] 1-0
Ivkina,O Lahno,K Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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In a sharp Grünfeld battle, Black, having just played 22...b6, seems to be coming out fine from the complications. However, Kramnik has a strong reply prepared. 23.d6! [ Thanks to the tactical detail 23.d6 exd6 24.xb6 , White manages to convert his dpawn into a magnificent passed pawn. ] 23...ac8 [ After 23...bxa5 24.dxe7 fe8 25.xa8 xa8 26.d7 , followed by a king march via f1-e2-d3-c4, White should be winning. ] 24.d7 cd8 This leads to a very passive
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In the words of Baburin, Black is better, as in open positions with pawns on both flanks, the bishop is stronger than the knight. Even so, after the natural 1 Kf2, followed by g2-g3 and
Ke3, White would have good drawing chances thanks to the reduced material. Her next move, in contrast, just helps Black to create a strong passed pawn. 1.b4? e6 2.e5 a5! Of course. From now on, the a-pawn will be a real headache for White. 3.bxa5 bxa5 4.c6 a4 5.d4 f6 6.f4?! [ 6.b5 was more logical, heading for a3 in order to block the passed pawn before it advances even further – Baburin. Nevertheless, after e5 7.f3 ( or 7.f2 e4 , heading for d3 ) 7...d5+! 8.f2 e4 9.c4!? c6! 10.a3 d4 with ...Kc3 next, Black is winning. ] 6...a3 7.c2 a2 8.g3 f5 The rest is relatively easy: sooner or later, Black's king will enter on either of the flanks, in similar fashion to Example 12 (Stoltz-Kashdan). 9.a1 e6 10.b3 g6 11.c4 Abandoning the c-pawn; [ but after 11.e3 d5 12.d2 c4 13.a5+ b5 14.b3 a4 15.a1 a3 16.c1 h5! , Black soon imposes a deadly zugzwang; e.g. 17.c4 f5 18.c5 e4 – Baburin. ] 11...d3 12.a1 [ Or 12.c5 c4 13.a1 d5 with similar play. ] 12...xc4 13.e4 f6 14.f4 e6 15.c2 b3 16.a1 d1! By applying the "magic" distance (more on this topic in Chapter Four), Black limits the range of the enemy knight, thus helping her king to break through on the kingside. 17.e3 g5 18.d2 f3 19.e3 g4 20.f2 h5 21.c2 d1 22.a1 h3 Zugzwang. 23.e1 xg3 24.xd1 h4 0-1
Kochyev,A Hansen,Cu Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1989
(Diagramme) White has just played Rb4-e4, perhaps awaiting 1...Qd6 when 2 Bf4 e5 3 Rc1! would let him challenge the active rook on c2. However, Hansen comes up with a better idea. 1...d5! Sacrificing the e-pawn in order to speed up the inherent plan in the position: the
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creation of a powerful passed pawn on the afile. [ Rather than 1...d6 2.f4 e5 3.c1! . ] 2.xe7 b5 3.e4?! [ With hindsight, White should have contented himself with equality after 3.a6 xe2 4.b7 xb3 5.xb5 . ] 3...xe4 4.dxe4 [ On 4.xe4 Black could react as in the game. ] 4...a5! Simple and strong; the e2-pawn can wait. Now there is no evident defence against the advance of the a-pawn. 5.b7 a4 6.xb5 a3 As often happens, an advanced passed pawn annuls any other strategic factors. 7.e5 f6! Again the e2-pawn can wait – what matters is the rapid re-inclusion of the bishop in the battle. 8.d4 Intending a blockade with the bishop on a1, but as the remainder of the game will show us, this idea won't save White in the end. [ Then again, after 8.f4 fxe5 9.fxe5 xe2 10.d4 a2 , preparing ...Rd8 ] [ or 8.c5 xe2 9.b4 a2 10.a5 xa5 11.bxa5 b2! 12.a6 b4 , heading for a4, White is also doomed. ] 8...fxe5 9.a1 [ Or 9.xe5? xe5 10.xe5 a2 11.a1 b2 etc. ] 9...xe2 Black has finally re-established the material balance, with a huge advantage thanks to his far-advanced passed pawn. 10.b4 a2 11.b7 f8 12.g2 h8 13.a7 e4! Not just in order to swap the defender on a1, but also with the idea of exhausting White's first rank defence by ...e4-e3. 14.xh8 xh8 15.b5 White now loses by one tempo;
[ but on other moves, such as 15.a3 , there follows e3! anyway. ] 15...e3 16.b6 fxf2+ 17.xf2 xf2+ 18.h3 e2 19.b7 f8 20.a8 e1 21.xf8+ g7 22.b8 [ Or 22.g8+ h6! 23.h8+ g5 etc. ] 22...e6+ [ In view of 22...e6+ 23.g2 a1 with a trivial win, White resigned. ] 0-1
Szabo,L Keres,P Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1956
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1.g6 e4 2.h6! [ Not 2.g5? f5 3.f6+ e5! with a draw. ] 2...h2 3.g5 d3 [ Or 3...f5 4.g7 , just getting on with the plan. With the text Black tries to save himself by mating threats, but in vain. ] 4.g7 c3 5.h7 b3 6.b7+! [ In view of 6.b7+ c4 7.g6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Polgar,J Gashimov,V World Blitz Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
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When the defender's king is placed in front of the enemy pawns he tends to be lost, though the stronger side has to proceed with some care. 1...g6?? Gashimov probably wanted to hide his king on h5, but now White is able to set up a blockade. [ An easy win was achieved by 1...d3+ 2.e2 a3 3.f2 h3 ] [ or even 1...g4+! intending 2.xg4 d3+ – Baburin. Anyway, one shouldn't be too harsh on a blitz game. ] 2.g4! Suddenly Black is unable to dislodge the white king without exposing his own king to checks. d6 3.a4 f6 4.b4 e6 5.a4 e5 6.a6+ e7 7.b6! Continuing with a waiting game. [ Of course 7.a7+? d6 would let Black improve his king, thus increasing his practical chances. ] 7...d7 8.a6 e7 9.b6 f7 10.a6 e6 11.a5 g6 12.a7+ f6 13.a6+ g7 14.a7+ h6 15.a5 . Black can't make progress and the game soon ended in a draw. ½-½
Alekhine,A Alexander,CH Margate [Johan Hellsten]
1937
2009 (Diagramme)
(Diagramme)
Thanks to his powerful connected passed pawns White has a huge advantage. However,
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Black has a dangerous plan in ...g7-g5! followed by ...Rg6 – Speelman. So before pushing the passed pawns forward, Alekhine rules out this option. 1.a5! b6 2.d4 White's further play is rather automatic: a gradual advance of the pawns, accompanied by the king. b3+ 3.f4 b4 4.d5 [ Of course not 4.e5?? b5+! and Black transposes to a pawn ending where the separated passed pawns prove much stronger than their connected counterparts. ] 4...b6 5.c5 b4 [ After 5...b7 6.e5 a7 7.c8 a5 8.e6+ , White wins easily – Speelman. ] 6.c7+ f8 7.a7 . In this hopeless position, Black resigned. 1-0
Alekhine,A Frydman,P Podebrady [Johan Hellsten]
1936
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less effort. ] 2.d6! Played with the strong idea of Rd5, while simultaneously cutting off the black king from the d-file. h3+ 3.e2 h4 [ Or 3...h2+ 4.f3 h3+ 5.g4! e3 6.f6 xe4+ 7.f5 f4+ 8.xe5 , followed by Rd4-f4. ] 4.f3 h5 5.e6 f4+ [ On 5...d4 White had prepared 6.c3+! xc3 7.xe5 with an easy win. ] 6.e3 h4 7.xe5 The rest is now easy – the lonely h-pawn is no match for the connected passed pawns. h3 8.d5 h4 9.d4+ c3 10.d1 h2 11.h1 h3+ 12.f4 h4+ 13.e5 d2 14.f6 e3 15.d6! xe4 16.xh2 d4+ 17.e5 1-0
Smyslov,V Stein,L USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1969
(Diagramme) (Diagramme) White has an extra pawn but Black is rather active. Alekhine finds a surprising solution. 1.b4+! A clever pawn sacrifice that diverts the black king from the defence of the e5-pawn. [ In contrast, 1.e6? h3+ 2.e2 d4 would yield Black excellent drawing chances. ] 1...c4 [ After 1...xb4?! 2.e6 White wins with
The presence of opposite-coloured bishops often saves the defender even if he is a pawn down, but here Black is suffering from a bad structure – his queenside pawns are effectively parried by the opposing minority, whereas White doesn't have the same problem on the opposite flank. Imagine the c6pawn on f7 instead and Black should have no difficulties in making a draw. 1.g4! Smyslov opts for the only plan that can
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Timochenko,G Makarichev,S Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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threaten Black: the creation of connected passed pawns on the e- and f-files. [ Note that 1.g5 f7 2.f4? would let Black blockade the pawns by c2! 3.e5 e6 with an easy draw. ] 1...hxg4 [ Or 1...d1 2.gxh5 gxh5 3.e3! , followed by f3-f4-f5. ] 2.xg4! [ 2.fxg4? d1 is less promising; e.g. 3.d4 e2 4.g5 f7! 5.h5 gxh5 6.gxh5 f3 7.e5 e4 with good drawing chances. ] 2...d1 3.f4 The next part of White's plan is to push h4-h5, but first he should improve his king and bishop. f7 4.d4 f8 5.e3 f7 6.e5 e6 7.g3! From here the bishop will control the black kingside pawn once the h4h5 sacrifice is effected. f6 [ After 7...d7 8.h5! gxh5 9.f4 c5!? 10.bxc5 c6 11.d4 b5 12.f5 , White should be winning – Smyslov. ] 8.f4 e6 [ Or 8...b3 9.g5+ e6 10.h5! gxh5 11.f4 with similar play. ] 9.h5! The connected passed pawns are finally created. gxh5 10.g3 [ After 10.g3 Black resigned since further resistance is useless; A) e.g. 10...c2 11.f4 b1 12.f5+ f7 13.f4 c2 14.e5 b3 15.g5 ( or 15.e6+ . ); B) But let's notice that if all the pawns were stripped from the board, apart from the ones on e4 and f3, then Black would draw by 10...a4 followed by ...Bd7-c8-d7. As already mentioned, the more pawns on the board, the better (usually) for the
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1...h2! An accurate decision. Black doesn't worry about entering a pure oppositecoloured bishop ending, confident about his connected passed pawns. 2.xh2 xh2 3.b3 The most active attempt, trying to assist the b-pawn with the king. [ Obviously, 3.b5? g1 followed by ...Bb6 was useless ] [ while 3.d2 f6 4.b5 g5! 5.e3 e5 , followed by ...f7-f5, also leaves White helpless. ] 3...f6 4.a4 e5 5.b5 g5! [ The pawn trade by 5...xd5? 6.c4+ would be highly unfavourable for Black. ] 6.c6 g4 7.b5 g1 8.e2 [ After 8.b6 xb6! 9.xb6 xd5 , Black wins – Shereshevsky. ] 8...f5 9.d1 c5 10.e2 e4 0-1
Carlsen,Ma Grischuk,A Linares [Johan Hellsten]
2009
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White's pawn mass seems impressive, but 1 d7?! Bf6 is not completely clear. Carlsen found a much better idea. 1.a6! f6 [ Or 1...bxa6 2.c6 and Black is helpless against White's army of pawns. ] 2.xb7! Insisting on the sacrifice. xb7 3.c6 [ Also possible was 3.c1!? followed by 4 c6 – Scherbakov. ] 3...xb6 4.c1! [ 4.c7? at once fails to c6 . ] 4...xb2 5.d7 1-0
Hellsten,J Cordova,E Turin Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2006
(Diagramme) In this rook ending my opponent has just played ...Kf5-g5+, and now if 1 Kg3 then after 1...Kf5, heading for e4, it is not clear how White can make progress. After a while I found a better idea, based on a sacrifice to obtain the connected passed pawns. 1.e4! g4 Now the plan of ...Kg3xg2 and ... h7-h5-h4 seems rather dangerous for White, but in fact I have everything under control. 2.a6 g3 [ What then if Black tries 2...h5 3.xc6 e7 instead, so as to keep his king a step closer to the enemy pawns? Well, White could proceed as in the game, sacrificing his rook
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on e6; A) though after 4.xe6 xe6 5.d5 e8 6.d6 cxd6 7.cxd6 g5 , he would have to find 8.d5 d8 9.e4! , followed by 10 e6 and a check on e5 if needed; ( whereas the natural 9.e6? only draws after a8! (to the edge) 10.d7 f6 11.d6 a6+ 12.c7 a8 etc. ); B) However, a smoother win can be achieved by applying our main theme in a different way: 4.d6! cxd6 (otherwise 5 c6 and 6 Rd7 decides) 5.exd6 d7 6.e5 and one of the pawns promotes. ] 3.xc6 e7 [ After 3...xg2 4.xe6 the white pawns are much faster. ] 4.xe6! A decisive sacrifice that leaves the black rook helpless against the army of white pawns. xe6 5.d5 At this point Black resigned. Let's see a possible conclusion of the game: e8 [ After 5...a6 6.e6 a4+ 7.e5 a3 8.e4! , the backward e-pawn serves as a shield. ] 6.d6 cxd6 7.cxd6 g4 [ Or 7...d8 8.d5 with a rapid promotion. ] 8.d7 d8 9.e6 . White wins. 1-0
example 73 Levenfish, Smyslov [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) When possessing separated passed pawns, a
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key idea is to abandon one of them in order to secure the advance of the other one, as in the present example. 1.f3! White heads at once for the opposite flank. [ 1.b8? xg4+ 2.f3 b4 would let Black escape to a draw; e.g. 3.b6 f6 4.b7 ( or 4.e3 e6 5.b7 d7 ) 4...g7! with a draw. ] 1...f4+ [ Now 1...xg4? fails to 2.g6+! xg6 3.xg4 ] [ while 1...b3+ doesn't work either due to 2.e4 xg4 3.d5 f5 4.c6 e6 5.b8 and White wins with ease. Note that in endings with rook and pawn vs. rook, if the defending king can't reach its preferred location in front of the pawn, then the knight's pawn is particularly powerful, since there is no "shorter side" available for the defending king (more on this subject in Chapter Three). ] 2.e3 xg4 3.d3 f5 4.c3 e5 5.c6! Cutting the enemy king off from the c-file. d5 6.c8 White wins quickly; [ e.g. 6.c8 g6 7.b4 followed by Ka5, b5b6 etc. ]
Sunye Neto,J Velimirovic,D Rio de Janeiro Interzonal [Johan Hellsten]
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The further apart, the more powerful are separated passed pawns. Here White doesn't just possess two rook's pawns, he has also managed to advance them quite far, yet the win is not trivial. 1.f4! Zugzwang. [ Other moves won't work; e.g. 1.a6? xa6 2.e6+ g8! 3.e7 b5 ] [ or 1.e6+? xe6 2.a6 f7! 3.a7 e4 4.h7 g7 and Black has again managed to assign the defensive tasks in a correct way. ] 1...c4 [ Nothing helps; e.g. 1...e6 2.a6 ] [ or 1...g6 2.e6 xh6 3.e7 b5 4.a6 g7 5.a7 . ] 2.e4! [ Not 2.h7? g7 . ] After 2 Ke4 Black's bishop proves overloaded, so he resigned. Let's make a few more moves: 2...a6 3.e6+ g6 4.e7 b5 5.a6 . White wins. 1-0
Hellsten,J Stojanovic,D Belgrade [Johan Hellsten]
2002
(Diagramme) 1979 Of course White is easily winning, and it probably won't take you many seconds to find 1 f7+. However, in time trouble I decided to carry out the combination "the other way around".
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example 77 [Johan Hellsten]
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1.xd7?? xd7 2.g6 [ At this point I was just waiting for 2.g6 e8 3.g7 e5 4.b8+ , but Black wisely assigned his defensive tasks in a different way. ] 2...d6! . Draw agreed in view of 3...Kc7 next. ½-½
example 76 [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.f5 Creating a square on c5-c8-f8-f5. [ White wins immediately; e.g. 1.f5 e7 ( or 1...c6 2.f6 ) 2.c6 d6 3.f6 . ] [ On the other hand, 1.b2? would be a gross error due to c6 and Black draws. ]
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You have probably seen the present, curious example before. The white passed pawns form a square, but they can't move while the black king remains on g8; thus White should use his king in a way that makes Black run out of pawn moves. 1.b1! a3 [ Similar play arises after 1...b3 2.b2 ] [ or 1...c3 2.c2 . ] 2.a2 c3 3.b3 We have reached a case of mutual zugzwang – the one who moves, loses. a2 4.xa2 c2 5.b2 b3 6.c1 . White wins. Incidentally, note that separated passed pawns often increase their value when pawn endings are reached, due to the king's limited defensive power.
Short,N Hillarp Persson,T Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) In exchange for the pawn deficit Black has the more active rook, though he should evidently be on his guard against a possible rook exchange. Hillarp found a clever idea. 1...g5! This passed pawn will soon prove useful. [ In contrast, approaching the king with 1...f6?! permits 2.b5 and the b-pawn
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becomes very dangerous. ] 2.e3 A tempting choice; [ but with hindsight White should probably try 2.f3 ] [ or 2.b3 instead. ] 2...e5! [ Of course not 2...xe3? 3.xe3 , when the protected passed pawn on b4 decides the game. ] 3.xe5+ [ After 3.f3 d7 , Black should also be able to draw. ] 3...dxe5 Black's idea becomes clear: his separated passed pawns will keep the enemy king busy. 4.b5 d6 5.b6 d7! The only move; [ since both 5...e4? 6.e3 ] [ and 5...g4? 6.g3 would lose on the spot. ] 6.f3 d6 7.f2 d7 8.f3 d6 9.e3 [ Or 9.g3 e4! with similar play. ] 9...g4! Now the separated passed pawns mutually protect themselves, just like their white counterparts, by the way. 10.e4 d7 11.e3 d6 12.e4 d7 13.e3 ½-½
Velikhanli,F Nadir,S Abu Dhabi [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) 1...d4? A tempting, but fatal choice. By
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means of the threat 2...Rd2+ Black manages to "fix" his pawn structure, but he has overlooked his opponent's active possibilities in the pawn ending that now arises. [ Something like 1...f4+ 2.g3 ( or 2.e3 h4 ) 2...f7! , followed by ...e5-e4, ...Ke5 etc, was preferable. ] 2.xd4 exd4 3.b4! The key move, by which White prepares the creation of a second passed pawn by b4-b5. a6 [ Or 3...f5 4.h4 with similar play. ] 4.h4 f5 5.a4! e4 [ Equally useless is 5...e5 6.h5 g5 7.b5 etc. ] 6.h5 f5 [ After 6...d3 7.h6 c2 8.h7 d3 9.h8 d2 10.h7+ c1 , White can win both by 11.h6 , approaching with the queen in staircase fashion, ( and 11.xe7 d1 12.e1! , followed by b4-b5 after exchanging queens – Hecht. )] 7.h6 g6 8.b5 1-0
example 80 Alburt,L [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) Thanks to his protected passed pawn on f5, and its restricting effect on the enemy king, White is much better. With his next move he initiates an attack on the black queenside pawns.
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1.a4! [ Also possible is 1.c4!? in the same spirit; e. g. e5 2.c3 d6 ( or 2...f6 3.cxb5 cxb5 4.d4 and the king soon liquidates the enemy pawns ) 3.cxb5 cxb5 4.d4 c6 5.e5! b4 ( equally hopeless is 5...a4 6.d4 d6 7.c3 c5 8.f6 d6 9.b4 etc ) 6.axb4 axb4 7.d4! and wins. ] 1...e5 2.axb5 [ But not 2.c4? b4 and Black has created his own protected passed pawn with a draw – Alburt. ] 2...cxb5 3.c4 a4+ [ Now if 3...b4 , then 4.c5 with a decisive square of separated passed pawns. ] 4.c3 bxc4 5.xc4 . Next White eliminates the a-pawn and brings his king to the opposite flank with a trivial win.
Tal,M Fuchs,R Kislovodsk [Johan Hellsten]
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against the invasion of the white king. exd5 5.d4 c4 6.b5! [ More technical than 6.a4 f6 , followed by ...Ne5 - Tal. ] 6...d6 [ Or 6...xa3 7.d3! , applying the magic distance, with an easy win after c4 8.xc4 dxc4 9.xc4 etc. ] 7.d3 e8 8.f5 f6 9.e5 [ In view of 9.e5 f7 10.h6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Danielsson,R Larsson,Joh Swedish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
2007
(Diagramme) 1964
(Diagramme) Black has just played ...g6-g5 to avoid 1 g5 fixing a weakness on g6. Tal found a simple way of realizing his material advantage. 1.exf6+! This and the next two moves produce a strong protected passed pawn on the h-file. xf6 2.fxg5+ hxg5 3.h5! From now on this pawn will severely limit Black’s king. g7 4.d5! The most attractive follow-up, which leaves the knight helpless
A protected passed pawn can also play the role of securing a draw. Here Black has just played ...g5-g4, making a last attempt at squeezing a point out of a drawish pawn ending. How would you react? 1.fxg4! [ The game went 1.hxg4? h3! 2.gxh3 xf3! (obstruction) 3.e1 g3 4.e2 xh3 5.f3 h4 6.g5 fxg5! and White resigned. ] 1...f4 2.f2 xe4 Now Black enjoys a protected passed pawn on e5, but White is just in time to create his own one on the h-file. 3.g3! hxg3+ 4.xg3 d3 5.f2! [ Not 5.h4? e4 and Black queens with
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[ Or 5.c3 a4 and White soon runs out of moves – Hecht. ] 5...f6 6.f5 c3! By trading the b- and c-pawns, Black makes the d4-pawn an easy target. 7.b3 c2 [ In view of 7...c2 8.xc2 xb4 9.d3 b3 etc, White resigned. ] 0-1
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check. ] 5...e4 6.e1 e3 7.h4! f4 8.h5 g5 9.e2 f5 . Draw.
Khalifman,A Shaposhnikov,E St Petersburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here White is trying to survive by means of a fortress, but Black’s clever manoeuvre puts an end to any such illusions. 1...c7+ 2.b2 c4! Forcing a pawn ending where the protected passed pawn secures an easy win. 3.xc4 bxc4 4.f4 [ Or 4.a2 b5 5.a3 c3! with similar play to the game. ] 4...b5 5.a3
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At this point Black was probably hoping to activate his position with ...c6-c5, but after the next, strong opposing move he never gets time for that. 1.d6! xd6 [ After 1...a5 2.c5 ] [ or 1...e1+ 2.f1 b8 ( if 2...a6 , then 3.f8+ b7 4.c5+ b6 5.d7+ a5 6.a3# – Erenburg ) 3.c5 , Black is also suffering. ] 2.exd6 b5 3.e5 The protected passed pawn is a fact, while Black has a really bad bishop on b7. d4 [ Unfortunately for Black, the desirable 3...f6 fails tactically to 4.xb5 cxb5 5.exf6 . ] 4.c4 c5 [ In the event of passive defence with 4...d8 5.c5 c8 , one attractive plan is 6.h2 , followed by Kh3-g4. ] 5.xc5 a8 [ 5...d5 was slightly more promising, although after 6.xd5 exd5 7.h2 c6
8.d3 d7 9.g3 e6 ( both here and later, 9...f6 fails to 10.c5+ ) 10.f4! , White is winning – Erenburg. ] 6.f3 c6 7.d3 a5 8.f2 With a healthy extra pawn and more active pieces, the rest is easy for White. d7 9.b5+ c6 10.c5+ e8 11.b4! xb5 12.bxa5 c6 13.g3 b5 14.g4 f1 15.g3 e2 16.e4 d7 17.xg5 f6 18.exf6 xd6 19.h7! 1-0
example 85 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten] a
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Despite his space disadvantage White is easily winning, since he can use his outside passed pawn on a2 as bait in order to get his king across to the other flank first, once the queenside pawns have been exchanged. 1.c2 a3 [ After 1...c5 2.c3 b5 3.a3 ( 3.a4+ works as well ) 3...c5 4.a4 d5 5.a5 c5 6.a6! b6 7.xc4 xa6 8.d5 , White wins comfortably. ] 2.c3 xa2 3.xc4 b2 4.d4 The white king is first to reach the opposite flank. c2 5.e4 d2 6.f5 e2 7.xg5 f2 8.xf4 xg2 9.g4 . White wins.
Schlechter,C Tartakower,S Carlsbad [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this pawn ending Black should be able to hold the balance with 1...Kf8, bringing the king to the opposite flank. Instead, he came up with a most unfortunate idea. 1...g5? Such a space-gaining advance would have been excellent with more pieces on the board – here it just helps White create an outside passed pawn on the h-file. 2.fxg5 hxg5 3.f3 g6 4.g4! Preventing ...Kf5. [ Evidently, 4.g4? would be wrong – as we will see next, the g-pawn is needed for a different purpose. ] 4...f5+ [ Or 4...h6 5.g3! , preparing h2-h4 as in the game. ] 5.exf6 xf6 6.g3! A key move. Now h2-h4, creating an outside passed pawn, is inevitable. a5 [ Or 6...e5 7.xg5 ( of course 7.h4 also works ) 7...d4 8.h4 and White queens with check. ] 7.a4 e5 8.h4 gxh4 9.gxh4 g6 10.b3 b6 11.h5+ f6 12.h6 g6 13.h7 xh7 14.f5 1-0
Fischer,RJ Larsen,B Candidates semi-final, Denver (5) [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c3! Fischer has seen that, after the exchange of bishops, his outside passed pawn on a4 will decide. [ Less convincing was 1.b4+ e8 2.a5 d7 3.a6 c6 4.a7 b7 since Black could try to reach a theoretical draw by eliminating the kingside pawns; e.g. 5.c5 e5! 6.e4 c7 followed by ...h5-h4 and a bishop sacrifice for the remaining pawn. ] 1...xc3 [ Or 1...a3 2.a5 c5 3.d4! , insisting on the plan – Speelman. ] 2.xc3 e7 3.d4! The white king immediately starts an attack on the enemy pawns. d6 4.a5 f6 5.a6! c6 6.a7 b7 7.d5 h4 8.e6 [ Black resigned, since 8.e6 f5 9.f6 is hopeless for him. ] 1-0
Schmidt,Wl Kasparov,G Dubai Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1986
(Diagramme) 1...d7! Swapping the active enemy rook, which also tends to be the best piece at controlling outside passed pawns such as the
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one on a5. 2.xd7 xd7 3.d6 e7 4.c4 a4 5.f1 e6 6.e2 d5 Without knights on the board this would be a trivial win, similar to the one arising in the previous example. Here White can still put up some resistance, counting on the tactical potential of the knight. 7.e3+ [ Or 7.a3 e5! , heading for c4. ] 7...d4 8.d2 [ After 8.c2+ c3 9.a3 f6 10.f4 e4! 11.g4 d6 , threatening ...Kb2, Black wins – Kasparov. ] 8...e5 9.c2 d3 10.d1 e1+ 11.b2 f3! After deflecting the enemy pieces to the queenside, Black proceeds with an attack on the opposite flank. 12.h4 e5 13.a3 [ Before the king enters on e4-f3, Black arranges to meet 13.e3 with c4+! . ] 13...e4 14.h5 [ Seeing that 14.xa4 f3 followed by ... Ng4xf2 is hopeless for him, Schmidt opts for active defence. ] 14...gxh5 15.c3+ [ Or 15.xa4 f3 16.b3 d3 17.c2 xf2 18.c3 h1! and wins – Kasparov; ( but not 18...e4?? 19.xe4 xe4 20.d2 with a draw. )] 15...f3 16.d5 g4! Preventing any attempts at counterplay with 17 Nf6. 17.e7 [ Or 17.f4 f6 18.d3 e2 etc – Kasparov. ] 17...xf2 18.f5 e4 The rest is easy. 19.xa4 xg3 20.h4+ e4 21.b4 f5! 0-1
Chernin,A Chuchelov,V Cappelle la Grande [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here is a similar example. Black’s a-pawn will again become stronger once the rooks leave the board, so his next move is not difficult to find. 1...b7! 2.xb7 [ The game actually went 2.c8 e7! 3.f5 xe5+ 4.e4 e6 and Black won without much difficulty after 5.c7 a3 6.a7 b4 7.d4 d6+! (releasing the obstruction of his king) 8.e5 d7 9.a6 a4! 10.b6+ a5 11.b1 d1 . ] 2...xb7 3.f4 d5! Another favourable exchange. [ Also possible was 3...a3 4.d3 d5 5.xd5 xd5 , followed by ...g7-g5, in similar spirit to the main line. ] 4.xd5 xd5 5.d3 g5! Thus Black creates a pair of separated passed pawns with decisive effect. 6.c3 [ After 6.fxg5 xe5 the black king reaches g2 much earlier than his counterpart gets to f1. ] 6...gxf4 7.gxf4 h5 . Black wins – Chuchelov.
Alekhine,A Andersen,E Folkestone Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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Despite the material balance, White is clearly better thanks to his potential outside passed pawn on the queenside. 1.a4 c7 This and Black’s next move might not have been optimal, yet on most other moves White had a ready-made plan with g2g3 followed by Kd3-c4. 2.c3 g5 3.b4 d5 4.f3 f6 5.d4 d6? But this is suicide due to White’s reply. [ After 5...e7 6.a5 bxa5+ 7.xa5 d7 8.b4 c8 9.b6! , followed by Kc6 and b4b5, White is also winning ] [ but by 5...c8 , heading for b7, Black could have prolonged resistance. ] 6.b5+! One particular feature of knight endings is that the exchange of these pieces is more easily achieved than that of their counterparts in, for example, rook or bishop endings. Now the outside passed pawn will decide the battle. xb5 7.xb5 e5!? [ Since 7...c7 8.b4 is hopeless for him, Black makes a last practical try, offering the b-pawn, but in vain. ] 8.b4! d4 9.c4 1-0
Lisitsin,G Capablanca,JR Moscow (analysis variation) [Johan Hellsten]
1935
1933 (Diagramme) This position could have occurred in the game, which we will come back to in Chapter Five
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(see Example 316). Black is a pawn up, but to which square should his king go? 1...d7! A clever pawn sacrifice. [ Less convincing is 1...e7 2.c7+ ] [ or 1...d5 2.f5+ c4 3.xf6 d5+ 4.e3 . ] 2.xf6? [ 2.e4 is objectively better, when Black could try f1+ ( not 2...c6?! 3.d5 ) 3.g3 c4 4.f5+ e6 5.xh5 e3+ , followed by 6...Qxd4, keeping chances for a win. ] 2...c6+! The point – now Black reaches a pawn ending where his outside passed pawn will prove to be a huge asset. 3.xc6+ xc6 4.e4 d6! [ Some accuracy is still required: after 4...b5? 5.e5! b4 6.e6 White draws. ] 5.g3 [ Or 5.d5 b5 6.d4 h4! with similar play. ] 5...b5 6.d5 b4 [ Black wins by one tempo; i.e. 6...b4 7.d4 b3 8.c3 xd5 9.xb3 e4 10.c3 f3 11.d2 xg3 12.e1 g2 . ] 0-1
Bareev,E Chernin,A Pula [Johan Hellsten]
1988
(Diagramme) Here is a more complex example. By a precise sequence of moves, White manages
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to reach a queen ending where the current theme will be perfectly displayed. 1.xc7! xc7 2.xc7 xc7 3.xe4 dxe4 4.d5! Without this key move the previous exchanges would not have made sense. Now the white queen is centralized and the black b4-pawn becomes more exposed. exd5 Otherwise the d-pawn keeps on advancing; [ while on 4...d6 White replies as in the game. ] 5.d4+ [ But not 5.xd5?! e7 6.b3 ( or 6.d4+ f6! and 7.xb4 fails to f3+ ) 6...f6 7.xe4 c3 8.d4+ g8! with much more counterplay for Black than in the game. ] 5...f6 6.xb4! The right capture, creating a potential outside passed pawn, while the d5pawn remains as a burden for Black. [ 6.xd5?! e5 is less clear. ] 6...f7 7.b5 [ 7.d4 , followed by b2-b4, was interesting too, but from b5 the queen has an enticing destiny on e8. ] 7...e6 8.b4 d6 9.e8! [ Instead of entering complications after 9.a5?! c6! , Bareev improves his queen. ] 9...f5 10.h4! Creating some kind of zugzwang, since Black is now short of a solid move. c4 [ Or 10...c6 11.d8+ e6 12.a5! etc. ] 11.b8+ c6 12.b5+ d7 [ Unfortunately for Black, 12...c5 fails to 13.f8# . ] 13.xb6 xa4 14.c6+ e7 15.xd5 With a strong passed pawn and a perfectly centralized queen, the rest is easy. b4 16.e5+ f7 17.c7+! An ideal square in the assistance of the passed pawn. f6
. Black resigned at the same time, in view of the imminent march of the b-pawn. 1-0
Predojevic,B Oleksienko,M Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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Several factors speak in White’s favour: superior minor piece, better pawn structure and a faster activation route for his king. Probably there was nothing wrong with the simple 1 Kd2, heading for the opposing queenside pawns, but Predojevic found a more clear-cut path to victory. 1.xe6! Transposing to a pawn ending where a potential outside passed pawn on the kingside will soon decide matters. fxe6 2.d2 f7 [ Or 2...f5 3.d3 f7 4.c4 , winning – Predojevic. ] 3.d3 e7 4.g4! The key move that speeds up the creation of the outside passed pawn. [ 4.c4 d6 5.b5 was less promising due to e5! with counterplay. ] 4...d6 [ 4...f5 5.g5 doesn’t change matters. ] 5.d4 b5 6.h4 h6 7.a3! Ruling out any attempts to leave White with a rook’s pawn once the kingside pawns are exchanged. e5+ 8.fxe5+ fxe5+ 9.e4 e6 10.g5 1-0
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In this turbulent position White found a clearcut path to victory, relying on his potential outside passed pawn on the queenside. 1.h5+! Before recovering the piece, it makes sense to push the enemy king back. [ Another idea was 1.dxe6+ xe6 2.h7+ ( but not 2.xe6+? xe6 3.h2 d5 ) 2...e8 3.xb7 e1+ 4.h2 e5+ 5.g3 xc5 6.g2 with a technical win, but the text is more forcing. ] 1...e7 2.xe8+ xe8 3.dxe6 e7 4.b4! Diverting Black’s king to the queenside without leaving any pawns there. xe6 5.b5! d5 6.c6 bxc6 7.bxc6 xc6 8.h2 This position was well assessed by Zambrana when opting for 1 Qh5+. Despite the material balance Black is lost due to his remotely placed king; furthermore, the fact that White’s pawns are still on the second rank means that he will have several waiting moves at his disposal. d5 9.g3 e6 10.g4 f7 11.f5 h5 [ Or 11...g7 12.g4 f7 13.f3! g7 14.e6 g6 15.f4 g7 16.f5 and wins. ] 12.g3! g7 13.e6 g6 14.f4! [ In view of 14.f4 f5 ( or 14...g7 15.f5 ) 15.e5 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Sasikiran,K Nisipeanu,LD Spanish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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Thanks to his more active rook White is better, but after the solid 1...Re7 it would not have been easy for him to make progress Deviatkin. In the game Black permitted the transposition to a pawn ending, where our main theme – the outside passed pawn – will soon play a key role. 1...e4? 2.c8+ f7 3.c7+! e7 [ Objectively speaking, shedding a pawn but keeping the rooks with 3...e6 4.xa7 f4 was Black’s lesser evil, but of course that wasn’t what Nisipeanu had in mind. ] 4.xe7+ xe7 5.f3 In Deviatkin’s words: “We are now in a pawn ending – the form of ending which looks so simple, but which is one of the most complicated! Material is equal and Black’s position looks okay, but in fact Black is already lost. The spoiled structure on the kingside ruins him, because there is no way for Black to prevent the creation of an outside passed pawn. And if Black’s king goes to the queenside, White will be faster.” In Chapter Seven we will see further proof of the fact that transpositions to pawn endings usually imply dangers for the defender. d6 [ Or 5...e6 6.f4 g5+ 7.f3 e5 8.h3! d5 9.g3 e5 10.h4 with similar play. ] 6.f4 d5 [ As Deviatkin already mentioned, White wins the passed pawn race: 6...c5 7.h4 b4 8.e4 fxe4 9.xe4 f5+ ( or 9...xa4 10.g4 ) 10.e5 xa4 11.f6 xb5
12.xg6 a5 13.h5 and queens, controlling the a1-square. ] 7.h4 e6 8.g3 e7 9.e4! [ Sasikiran continues with the plan of creating an outside passed pawn, without getting tricked into 9.h5?! f7! 10.hxg6+ xg6 . ] 9...fxe4 10.xe4 d6 [ Or 10...f5+ 11.e5 f7 12.d6! g5!? 13.hxg5 g6 14.c7 xg5 15.b7 g4 16.xa7 xg3 17.a5! and White queens with check – Deviatkin. ] 11.g4 e6 12.h5 f7 [ After 12...gxh5 13.gxh5 ] [ or 12...f5+ 13.gxf5+ gxf5+ 14.f4 , White’s win would be even more trivial. ] 13.d5 g7 14.e6! [ Sidestepping the last trick: 14.c6?? f5! 15.gxf5 gxh5 . ] [ After 14.e6 Black resigned, in view of f5 15.gxf5 gxh5 16.e7 . ] 1-0
Unzicker,W Botvinnik,M Varna Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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Thanks to his more active pieces Black is minimally better, but he was suddenly helped by a bad decision from his opponent. 1.axb6?! As Botvinnik himself stated, this capture yields Black the possibility of creating an outside passed pawn later on. [ 1.f2 seems simpler, followed by Re1, swapping the active enemy rook. ] 1...cxb6 2.f2 f7
[ After 2...e2+?! 3.g1 the rook would have to return to e6. ] 3.e1 xe1 4.xe1 [ Now after 4.xe1 b5?! 5.f2 a win is unlikely, but Botvinnik has other intentions. ] 4...a5! Creating the outside passed pawn. 5.bxa5 [ Unfortunately for White, after 5.xb6 a4 6.d2 f4 , followed by ...Bf1, Black would soon be able to create a second passed pawn on the kingside. ] 5...bxa5 6.g3 a4 7.d2?! [ 7.c5 was preferable, controlling the passed pawn as soon as possible – and with the bishop, so that the king can be used for the defence of the opposite flank. ] 7...a3 8.c2 h5 9.h4? A tactical oversight which costs the game. [ After 9.f4? h4! 10.gxh4 ( or 10.f2 g4 ) 10...gxf4 , Black is also winning – Botvinnik. His next step would be a king transfer to assist the advance of the f-pawn. ] [ But 9.g4! yielded good drawing chances – Benko, who explains that White’s idea is to swap two pair of pawns on the kingside and then sacrifice the bishop for the remaining one, so that a theoretical draw arises on the opposite flank. There can follow fxg4 ( or 9...hxg4 10.fxg4! f4 11.f2 , followed by h3-h4 ) 10.hxg4! h4 11.f2 d5 12.f4 h3 13.g3 and White holds – Benko. Nevertheless, such ideas are much easier to spot after, rather than during, the game. Thus from a practical point of view, 1 axb6? was White’s main mistake. ] 9...f4! A typical breakthrough to create a passed pawn. 10.e5 [ After 10.gxf4 gxh4 11.f5 h3 12.e5 a2 13.b2 h4 , Black should also be winning, using the c4-square as a junction in the king’s route to the h-pawns. ] [ As for 10.f2 , Botvinnik suggests gxh4 11.gxh4 e6 followed by ...Kf5 and ... Bd5xf3, in order to create a new passed pawn on the f-file. There can follow 12.c5 a2 13.b2 d5 14.f2 f5! 15.e1 xf3 16.xa2 e4 and the king reaches e2 with decisive effect. ] 10...e6! The king wins a tempo on his way to the defence of the f4-pawn. 11.c7 gxh4 12.xf4 [ Or 12.gxh4 f5 followed by ...Bd5, with similar play as after 10 Bf2. ] 12...h3 13.g4 h4! [ Avoiding 13...hxg4? 14.fxg4 and White
escapes to a theoretical draw (cf. 9 g4 above). ] 14.h2 e2 [ There could have followed 14...e2 15.b3 xf3 16.g5 f5 17.xa3 xg5 18.b4 f5 19.c5 e4 , with ...Be2 and ...Kf3-g2 next – Benko. ] 0-1
example 97 [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g4! A breakthrough that creates a second passed pawn. [ Just relying on the outside passed pawn with 1.b6 d6 2.e4? ( 2.g4! still works ) would have failed to 2...gxh4! (ruling out the breakthrough) 3.gxh4 c6 4.f5 xb6 5.xf6 c7 6.g6 d8 7.xh5 e7 8.g6 f8 etc. ] 1...gxh4 [ Or 1...hxg4 2.h5 f5 3.h6 f6 4.b6 etc. ] 2.gxh5 h3 3.f3 f5 4.b6 d6 5.h6 . White wins.
example 98 Seirawan,Y [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) At first sight White seems to be in trouble, but in fact he wins the game by launching a breakthrough.
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1.f5 b4 2.g5! exf5 [ 2...hxg5 is met by 3.f6 gxf6 4.h6 ] [ or 2...c5 3.f6 gxf6 4.gxh6 . ] 3.g6! fxg6 4.e6 . White wins. Note that with the kingside pawns placed one rank below (i.e. e4, f3, g3 and h4 vs. e5, f6, g6 and h5) the whole operation would have failed since Black would have queened as well; e.g. after 4...f3 at this very moment. Usually in the endgame it is favourable to have pushed one’s pawns as far as possible – more about this in the Space section of Chapter Six.
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example 99 Mullen,I [Johan Hellsten] a
creation of an outside passed pawn with b2-b4. Thus White directs his attention to the opposite flank. 1.g4! Preparing a breakthrough. [ Another move order is 1.c4 c6 2.g4 . ] 1...c6 2.c4 b6 [ After 2...g6 3.g5! hxg5 4.h6 ] [ or 2...f6 3.exf6 gxf6 4.g5! , the breakthrough succeeds. ] 3.f5 [ The move order matters: after 3.g5? c6 4.b3 b6 5.f5 exf5 6.g6 fxg6 7.e6 c6 , the black king arrives in time. ] 3...c6 [ Or 3...exf5 4.gxf5 c6 5.b3! b6 6.d5 – Mullen. ] 4.f6! gxf6 5.exf6 d6 6.g5! White wins. Evidently, such dynamics would not have been available had Black managed a pawn structure with pawns on h5 and g6, yet that isn’t always possible – for example in the main lines of the Classical Caro-Kann (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5) White soon puts his h-pawn on h5.
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Black has just played ...c6-c5 preventing the
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Thanks to his outside passed pawn, White seems to be better. However... 1...f4! Preparing a breakthrough. [ Since this is a rather tactical operation, the move order should be considered carefully – in the game Black opted for 1...h4?
and after 2.gxh4 gxh4 3.d4 e6 4.a5 , he soon had to admit defeat. ] [ 1...g4? 2.d4 is also bad. ] 2.gxf4 [ Or 2.a5 bxa5 3.bxa5 h4 4.gxf4 gxf4 5.a6 c6 6.d4 e3! 7.fxe3 f3 etc. ] 2...gxf4! [ Again, precision is required: after 2...g4? 3.d4 h4 4.xe4 h3 5.gxh3 gxh3 6.f3 , the pawn is caught. ] 3.d4 e3! 4.fxe3 [ 4.d3!? meets with the same reply. ] 4...f3! 5.gxf3 h4 . With the white king obstructed by his fellow pawns, Black wins.
Mamedyarov,S Sokolov,I Hoogeveen [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.f5! Only thus. [ 1.h5? failed to gxh5 2.gxh5 b3 3.c3 d5 4.xb3 e4 etc ] [ while the game went 1.c4? b3 2.xb3 d5 3.g5 e6 4.c4 e7 5.b5 and here Black could have defended by e6! 6.c5 e7 – I.Rogers. ] 1...gxf5 [ After 1...b3 2.c3 d5 3.f6! gxf6 4.h5 , the h-pawn queens ] [ and 1...d7 2.h5 also wins for White – Baburin. ] 2.gxf5 [ But not 2.g5?? g6 3.e6 d6! 4.exf7 e7 5.c4 f4 and it is Black who wins. ]
2...b3 3.c3 d5 4.e6! fxe6 5.f6 gxf6 6.h5 . White wins.
example 102 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here is a breakthrough effected in a slightly different way. 1.c5! bxc5 [ After 1...d5 2.c6 d6 3.g6 the protected passed pawn decides matters; e.g. a6 4.xh6 axb5 5.axb5 e6 6.g6 e7 7.f5 d6 8.f6 c7 9.e7 c8 10.c7! etc. ] 2.a5 d5 3.a6! By delaying the second pawn break White gains a crucial tempo, since the black king can’t access the c6-square. d6 [ Or 3...c4 4.b6 and White queens with check. ] 4.b6 c6 5.bxa7 . White wins.
Grachev,B Potkin,V Ulan Ude [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) White has played over-aggressively on the kingside and is now punished. 1...c4! [ Only the “delayed” breakthrough works: after 1...b4? 2.cxb4 c4 3.g5 g6+ 4.xg6 ]
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queening possibilities. With her next move, Cramling exploits this fact. 1.h5! f6? This loses by force. [ After 1...d8 2.g4 f6 3.exf6 gxf6 4.g6! , preparing g4-g5, White also wins – Baburin ] [ who instead suggests a waiting policy with 1...e7 2.g4 c8 . ] 2.exf6 gxf6 3.xc6! xc6 4.g4 Now the g4g5 break proves inevitable. [ In view of 4.g4 d6 5.g5 e7 6.g6 , followed by a3-a4-a5, softening up the c5square for the king, Black resigned. ] 1-0
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[ or 1...d4? 2.cxd4 c4 3.e4 b4 4.axb4 c3 5.d3! cxb2 6.c2 , White wins – Baburin. ] 2.g5 d4 3.cxd4 [ Or 3.e4 d3 4.e3 e6 and the protected passed pawn decides. ] 3...b4! 4.axb4 [ The game actually went 4.g6 bxa3 5.bxa3 c3 and White soon resigned. ] 4...c3 5.bxc3 a3 . Black wins.
Cramling,P Seyfried,C Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten] a
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As I mentioned earlier in this section, gaining space can have a huge effect on further
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Hellsten,J Michel Yunis,C Santiago (analysis variation) [Johan Hellsten]
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This position could have occurred in the game. White wins in Domino fashion. 1.g4! g8 [ Or 1...fxg4 2.f5! g8 ( if 2...exf5 , then 3.d5 cxd5 4.b5 ) 3.fxe6 f8 4.d5 e7 5.dxc6 xe6 6.g3 h5 7.f4 d6 8.b5 etc. ] 2.gxf5 exf5 3.d5! f8 [ Obviously, 3...cxd5 runs into 4.b5 . ] 4.dxc6 e7 5.f1 d6 6.b5 c7 7.e2 From now on, White should just use his king cleverly. d6 8.e3 c7 [ Or 8...h5 9.e2 , followed by Kf1-g2-g3h4. ] 9.f3 exf3 10.xf3 d6 11.e3 c7 12.d3! d6 13.d4 c7
[ Again 13...h5 is met by 14.e3 , followed by Kf3-g3-h4. ] 14.e5 . White wins.
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Gyimesi,Z Glek,I German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.xc6! [ Obviously, 1.bxc6? bxc6 was less efficient. ] 1...xc6 [ Or 1...bxc6 2.b6 ] 2.bxc6 bxc6 3.d5! This second breakthrough decides matters. [ In view of 3.d5 cxd5 ( or 3...f6 4.d6 ) 4.c6 , Black resigned – Scherbakov. ] 1-0
Baburin. What happens if White tries 4.xg5 at this point is well answered by the further course of the game. ] 2...c3! The a-pawn proves unstoppable. 3.e6+ [ Black also wins after 3.bxc3 a3 4.e6+ e8 ] [ or 3.d3 xb2! 4.xb2 a3 . The old saying that the rook’s pawn is the knight’s worst enemy is well reflected here. ] 3...e8 4.d5 xb2 With such a strong passed pawn and the bishop acting on both flanks, the rest is quite easy for Black. 5.f4 a3 6.b4 e7 7.g5 [ Or 7.e4 xe6 8.a2 d6 and the black king soon enters on either of the flanks. ] 7...xe6 8.xg6 d6 9.f5 c5 10.c2 a2 11.g5 c4 12.g6 b3 0-1
Leko,P Karjakin,S Nice (blindfold rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
Bonner,G Medina Garcia,A Haifa Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) Black is a pawn down, but the reduced number of pawns makes a draw quite likely. However, the game soon took an unexpected course. 1...f7 2.f4?? [ 2.g5+ e7 3.f3 was correct, when g5 , preventing 4 Kf4, should lead to a draw –
1976
(Diagramme) Here is a similar example with knights. At first sight this endgame seems rather unclear, but in fact Black has a forced win! 1...c3!! An ingenious use of the knight in order to create a passed pawn. 2.bxc3 There is nothing better. a4 3.cxd4 cxd4! [ Of course not 3...a3? 4.c3 . ]
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xe5 6.xb2 d6 (obviously, both captures on f6 would fail to bishop checks) 7.d8 c5 8.c3 , White keeps good winning chances thanks to his extra pawn – Smyslov. ] 2.xc5! bxc5 [ Or 2...b3 3.d3 f5 4.xb6 xe5 5.a5 d6 6.c5+ c6 7.a6 and Black has no defence against -- 8.a7 b7 9.c6+ . ] 3.a5 xf6!? 4.a6! [ Black’s idea was 4.exf6? e5! , when both sides queen after 5.d3 ( or 5.a6 b3 6.d3 e4+ ) 5...f5! 6.a6 e4+ . ] 4...b3 5.d3 xe5 6.a7 . White soon won. 1-0
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4.c3 [ Or 4.bxa4 bxa4 and the black pawns cooperate perfectly. ] 4...a3 . Unable to stop the a-pawn, White resigned. 0-1
Smyslov,V Yastrebov Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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Kosteniuk,A Polgar,J World Blitz Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
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Smyslov found a nice path to victory, using his bishop to create a breakthrough. 1.b4!! axb4 [ 1...cxb4 2.xb6 b3 was more tenacious, although after 3.d3 b2 ( or 3...f5 4.d4 , followed by c4-c5 ) 4.c2 f5 5.xa5
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White is a pawn down, but she unexpectedly turned things in her favour by means of a breakthrough. 1.g4! c7 Black must hurry to get her knight round to stop the ensuing passed h-pawn. 2.gxh5 e6 3.h6 f8 4.hxg5 fxg5 5.f3 d3 6.g4 e2 7.xg5 xf2 8.d6! The knight should be brought to g5 in order to control the crucial h7-square. [ Instead, the game went 8.f6? e4? ( missing 8...f3! 9.xe5 h7 with a draw ) 9.f7 h7 10.g6 f8+ 11.g7 e6+ 12.f6 f8 13.d4! e3 14.g7 e6+ 15.xe6 e2 16.f4 and Black resigned. As Baburin observes,
such subtleties aren’t easily grasped in a blitz game. ] 8...e3 9.f5 d4 10.e4 d5 11.g5 d6 12.f6 . White wins with 13 Kf7 next – Baburin.
Wahltuch,V Capablanca,JR London [Johan Hellsten] a
Anand,V Hillarp Persson,T Benidorm (rapid) [Johan Hellsten] a
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2003
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In this tense endgame Black could have decided matters in his favour by a series of breakthroughs. 1...d3! [ A similar idea is 1...f3 2.gxf3 e3+! 3.f1 h3 4.c4 and here any of the pawn pushes to the second rank decides. ] [ In contrast, the game went 1...f6?! 2.b3 e7 3.d5 d7 4.f1 c7 5.e2 d7 6.f1 c7 and a draw was agreed, although White remains lost due to the imminent breakthrough; e.g. 7.e2 f3+ 8.gxf3 h3 9.f1 ( or 9.fxe4 h2 10.e5 a2 ) 9...e3 10.f4 h2 11.g2 e2 . ] 2.cxd3 exd3 3.c6 d6 4.d5 d2 5.e2 f3+! Releasing the h-pawn. [ The move order matters: after 5...h3? 6.gxh3 f3+ 7.xd2 xd5 8.c7 , White escapes. ] 6.gxf3 h3 7.f4 h2 . Black wins.
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With a sound extra pawn and more space Black is practically winning, but Capablanca made his task easier by a neat breakthrough. 1...h4! 2.gxh4 e5! Creating a powerful pair of connected passed pawns. 3.fxe5 f4 4.e1 e6! Simple and strong; now the king will back up those pawns. 5.c4 [ Or 5.c2 xe5 6.d2 g2+ , intending 7.e2 f3 . ] 5...xe5 6.xd5+ xd5 7.cxd5 f3 . In this hopeless position, White resigned. 0-1
Borgo,G Iordachescu,V Reggio Emilia [Johan Hellsten]
2006
(Diagramme) Thanks to his space advantage Black has the initiative, but victory is still a long way ahead. However, he was suddenly helped by his opponent. 1.b3? In his eager to simplify White overlooks a breakthrough motif. [ 1.d3 with a waiting game was called for. ] 1...d5+ 2.d3 [ Or 2.b2 d4 and the king enters decisively – Chess Today. ]
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2...b4! A pattern familiar to us from the first example in this section. 3.bxa4 [ After 3.axb4+ xb4+ 4.c3 a3 White is also lost; e.g. 5.c4 d5+ 6.c2 gxf3 7.exf3 b4 with some kind of zugzwang, since 8.xe5 runs into e3+ 9.b1 xb3 . ] 3...bxa3 Unfortunately for White, he cannot prevent a decisive ...Kb4 next. 4.e4 b4! 5.c2 e3+ 6.b1 c4! Creating a second passed pawn on the opposite flank. [ Another good option was 6...gxf3 7.xf3 fxe4 , intending 8.xe5 b3 . ] 7.xc4 xc4 8.fxg4 fxe4 . Black queens with check, so White resigned. 0-1
Adams,M Fridman,D Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten]
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2.b5! Of course Adams doesn’t waste the opportunity to create a powerful passed pawn. a8 [ After 2...axb5 3.xb5 ] [ or 2...bxa5 3.bxa6 , followed by 4 R(x)a5, the passed pawn takes its toll. ] 3.axb6 a5 4.xe5 Thanks to his active king, White wins comfortably. a4 5.d6 a3 6.xg5+ [ There could have followed 6.xg5+ f8 7.b7 b8 8.b6! a2 9.a5 xb7 10.c6 etc. ] 1-0
Polgar,J Edouard,R European Championship, Aix les Bains [Johan Hellsten]
2011
2012 (Diagramme)
(Diagramme) Here is a similar case. Despite his pawn deficit White is much better, thanks to his active pieces, yet Black’s next move accelerated the end. 1...b6? Forgetting about the opponent’s breakthrough option. [ 1...f6? obviously failed to 2.d7+ , followed by 3 Kxf6 ] [ but Black could have kept up the fight with 1...e8 2.xe5 d8! 3.e4 f6 4.d4 h8 – Baburin. ]
Despite material equality White has a huge advantage thanks to her active pieces, and approaching with the king should decide matters sooner or later. However, her task was made considerably easier by the opponent’s next. 1...h6? 2.h5! A timely breakthrough that creates an advanced passed pawn on the gfile. g8 [ After both 2...hxg5 3.hxg6 ] [ and 2...gxh5 3.g6 , the double threat of 4 Rh7+ and 4 g7+ proves decisive. ] 3.d7 g7 4.f7! [ After 4.f7 xg5 5.hxg6 , the black rook
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as a later result. ] 2.axb4 [ Or 2.cxb4 b3! , followed by ...Bxb2 and c4-c3-c2. ] 2...a3 3.bxa3 xc3 4.b5 [ 4.g3? fails to d2 , followed by c4-c3c2 ] [ while the “active” 4.f3 runs into f4! , creating a new passed pawn on the e-file. ] 4...e5 5.g3 b3! [ After 5...c3 6.f1 , preparing Be2-d1, White might have more chances for a draw. ] 6.f1 c3 . Intending c3-c2 and ...Qb1. Black wins.
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has been curiously imprisoned, and White wins by just transferring his rook to the eighth rank, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
Nakamura,H Giri,A FIDE Grand Prix, London [Johan Hellsten] a
Stahlberg,G Geller,E Zurich Candidates [Johan Hellsten] a
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1953
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White seems to be holding his own; however, a breakthrough could have destroyed his defences. 1...b4! [ In the game, afflicted by time-trouble, Geller instead chose 1...h5? and after 2.g3! h4 3.h5 , Stahlberg managed to deprive him of the bishop pair, with a draw
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Here is a similar case with reversed colours and flanks. At first sight Black seems to have created some kind of fortress – 1 Bxc5? Rxa5 would just lead to the activation of his rook, whereas 1 Ra1 first is met simply by 1...Bd6. However, Nakamura found a nice breakthrough idea. 1.g5! hxg5 [ Practically forced, in view of the threat 1...-2.gxh6 gxh6 3.g1 . ] 2.h6 gxh6 3.xe5! fxe5 4.f6 It transpires that the passed pawn is perfectly assisted by the bishops. d7 5.f7+ e7 6.xd7 xd7 [ After 6...xf7 7.f5 f6 8.e4 b8 9.xc5 h5 10.g3 , White should also win
13.e3 e6 14.e4! etc. ] 1-0
– Baburin. ] 7.xc5 h5 8.f8 xf8+ 9.xf8 . White soon capitalized on his material advantage. 1-0
Tatai,S Mariotti,S Rome (match) [Johan Hellsten]
Gligoric,S Ionescu,C Sochi [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here White’s kingside majority is waiting to be transformed into a passed pawn, a task that Gligoric resolved by means of a wellcalculated breakthrough. 1.f5! gxf5 2.h5 d3 Evidently, the task of parrying the passed pawn must be performed by the knight. 3.h6 e5 4.h7 f7 [ On 4...g6 White can react just like in the game – Gligoric. ] 5.g3! Initiating the key plan of approaching the h7-pawn with the king. In the battle between passed pawns that now follows, the bishop will be clearly superior to the knight. b4 6.f6 b3 7.b2 f4+ [ Or 7...fxg4 8.xg4 d3 9.h5 c2 10.g6 and wins – Gligoric. ( Even the slower 10.f6 b2 11.xb2 xb2 12.g6 is possible, giving credit to the saying that the rook’s pawn is the knight’s worst enemy. )] 8.f2 f3 9.h8 [ Black resigned, seeing that after 9.h8 xh8 10.xh8 f4 11.g5 , White wins comfortably; e.g. xg5 12.xf3 f5
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Black would like to carry out the ...c5-c4 breakthrough, preferably without queens on the board. With his next little combination, Mariotti addresses the issue. 1...g4+! [ After 1...c4?! 2.g7+ ( not 2.xg5+? f5+! ) 2...xd5 3.xg5+ , things become more complex; e.g. c6 4.bxc4 xc4 5.h5 b3 6.f6! . ] 2.xg4 [ Obviously, 2.xg4 runs into f5# . ] 2...f5! 3.h5 [ Or 3.xf5+ xf5 4.g4+ g6 5.g3 c4 – Neishtadt. ] 3...c4! [ The move order 3...xg4+ 4.xg4 c4 works as well; e.g. 5.g5 c3! , queening with check. ] 4.h6 xg4+ 5.xg4 f6 6.h7 g7 [ After 6...g7 7.bxc4 b3 8.c5 b2 only Black queens, so White resigned. ] 0-1
Rotstein,A Sundararajan,K Groningen [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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In this minor piece ending, White hurried to decide things in his favour by means of a breakthrough. 1.g4! “Against two passed pawns on different flanks, Black will be helpless!” – Baburin. hxg4 [ Or 1...xh4 2.gxh5 f5 3.a5! with similar play. ] 2.h5 h6 3.a5! King first! [ After 3.b6? c6 , the battle is prolonged. ] 3...f5 4.b6 f7 5.a6 e6 6.c7! . Applying the “magic” distance, an idea that we will come back to in Chapter Four. Unable to sacrifice his knight for the b-pawn, Black resigned. 1-0
Akesson,R Barkhagen,J Swedish Championship, Linkoping [Johan Hellsten]
2001
(Diagramme) Here is another bishop vs. knight ending, this time with the breakthrough being realized by the knight’s side. 1...f6 2.f3?! [ White should have preferred 2.d3 , followed by Ke3, avoiding the game scenario. ]
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2...g5 3.d3 g4! Without the minor pieces on the board this breakthrough would have won on the spot, whereas here it just yields Black a pleasant initiative in practice. 4.hxg4 [ Obviously, 4.g2? failed to h5 with a fork to follow. ] 4...h7! There is no hurry with ...h4-h3, and Barkhagen instead reorganizes his pieces – the king should go to g5 and then the knight back to f6. Incidentally, “don’t hurry” is a good rule of thumb in the endgame, one that Shereshevsky dedicated a whole chapter to in his great work 'Endgame Strategy'. 5.e3 f6 6.e2 g5 7.f3 f6 8.c4?! This and the next move are too “active”. [ With 8.f1 White held the balance – Hecht; as after xg4 9.h3 , the threat of 10 Bc8 forces Black into h2+ 10.g2 g4 with a repetition. ] 8...h3 9.e6? [ 9.f1 was correct, though such a move is psychologically hard of course. Black could react h4 10.g5 h2!? 11.g2 h5 ; e.g. 12.g6 g5 13.g7 xg7 14.g3 e6 15.xh2 f4 , keeping some practical chances. ] 9...xe4! Black wins a pawn and, more importantly, enables the deflection of the white king from the h-pawn by ...Kh4 and ... Ng5+ (or ...Nd2+). 10.c8 h4! 11.xb7 g5+ [ In view of 11...g5+ 12.e3 h2 13.xc6 e4! , White resigned – Atlas. ] 0-1
Videnova,E Raznikov,D European Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
2012
example 123 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten] a
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With one extra pawn on each flank, and the bpawn severely limiting the enemy bishop, Black is winning. Nevertheless, the way he achieved his goal is quite instructive. 1...e4! A breakthrough aimed at creating a second passed pawn... on the h-file! [ The methodical 1...f4 , followed by ...e5e4, was also possible; e.g. 2.e2 e4 3.fxe4 fxe4 4.c2 g5 5.b1 e3 6.c2 g3 7.e4 ( or 7.f1 e2+ 8.xe2 xg2 with 9...g4 next ) 7...d4! (heading for d2) 8.f1 c3 9.e2 d2 10.f1 g4! 11.hxg4 h3 (a breakthrough that frees the f3-square for the king) 12.gxh3 f4 13.d3 f3 and wins. ] 2.fxe4 f4! 3.e5 g5 4.f5 [ Or 4.e4 f3 5.gxf3 xh3 and the h-pawn decides. ] 4...g4! 5.e6 [ Black’s point was that after 5.hxg4 f3 6.gxf3 h3 , the h-pawn again proves unstoppable. The text allows White to queen, but to no avail. ] 5...f3! 6.gxf3 gxh3 7.e7 h2 [ Not 7...xe7? 8.g1 with a draw. ] 8.e8 h1+ 9.e2 xf3+ 0-1
Despite the minus pawns Black seems to be defending comfortably. However... 1.g4!! A strong breakthrough that creates a passed pawn either on the f- or h-file. I can still remember my fascination with this example when I first came across it as a youngster. hxg4 [ After 1...fxg4 2.f5! gxf5 3.xh5 , the win is somewhat easier: f6 4.g3 f3 5.h6 e4 6.h5 f3 7.h4+ f7 ( or 7...e5 8.g5 f4 9.h6 , overloading the black bishop ) 8.g5 e4 9.g3 g7 10.f4! h7 ( after 10...f7 11.h6 the h-pawn decides ) 11.f6 g3 12.xg3 h6 13.e6 xh5 14.d6 etc. The 1... hxg4 capture is indeed more logical, since it avoids an outside passed pawn on the hfile. ] 2.h5 gxh5 3.a8! xa8 4.xf5 White has reached his goal of creating a second passed pawn, but the further path to victory is far from trivial. f7 5.g5 f3 [ More tenacious than 5...e7 6.f5 d7 7.f6 d5 8.a7 , when one of the passed pawns will sacrifice itself for its colleague. ] 6.a7 g7 7.f5 f7 8.h4! The following bishop manoeuvre will enable White to take the h5-pawn without allowing the advance of the other black pawn. [ In contrast, after 8.f6? d5 9.h4 ( or 9.d4 g3! 10.xh5 g2 with similar play ) 9...f3! 10.xh5 g3+ 11.g5 g2 12.f2 d5 , White can’t win, since if he brings his
king to b8 and queens, Black, after taking on a8, would deflect the white bishop from the defence of f6 by advancing the g-pawn. ] 8...g7 9.g3! f7 10.e5 e4 [ Black has to leave the d1-h5 diagonal, as after 10...f8 11.f6 h4 12.d6+ e8 ( or 12...g8 13.e7 ) 13.g7 , followed by f5-f6, his bishop again proves overloaded. ] 11.xh5! g3 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 11...f3 12.g5 with similar play to the previous note. ] 12.xg3 f6 13.g4 xf5+ 14.f4! . Unfortunately for Black, his bishop can’t return to the long diagonal, so White wins.
Sergeev,R Hellsten,J Tallinn [Johan Hellsten] a
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Another complex opposite-coloured bishop ending. Black is two pawns down but he has managed to block the enemy pawns quite confidently. However, positions with oppositecoloured bishops contain a lot of dynamics, a fact that I forgot when making my next, lazy move. 1...c6? [ 1...e4 was correct, avoiding what now follows in the game. ] 2.e4!! An unexpected breakthrough that creates a powerful passed pawn on the h-file. xe4 [ Obviously, 2...fxe4? 3.xg4 would make
things too easy for White on the kingside. ] 3.f3! gxf3 [ After 3...xf3?! 4.h4! , the h-pawn becomes a giant, while Black’s own passed pawns can hardly move. There can follow e7 5.h5 f7 6.g5 e4 7.h6 g8 8.f6 , with Ke7-d6 next, and the c-pawn decides. The text is more resilient due to the advanced passed pawn that emerges on f3. ] 4.d4! White’s little endgame combination is concluded, and we can see that the two pawns were well invested. On the g1-a7 diagonal the bishop doesn’t just control the f3pawn, it also protects the one on c5; besides, it will parry the future advance of the pawns on e6 and f5. More on the idea of one single diagonal in Chapter Four. d5 Parrying the positional threat of 5 g4. 5.e5 [ Another promising, perhaps winning option was 5.g5!? e5 6.f2 e6 7.h4 – P.Flores. ] 5...e7 [ The task of controlling the h-pawn must be assigned to the king; e.g. 5...c4 6.h4 e2 failed to the simple 7.f2 . ] 6.h4 a8 A waiting move. [ After 6...f7? 7.d6 , followed by 8 c6, White wins immediately, so it makes sense to postpone the further king transfer until the h-pawn is more exposed. ] 7.h5 d5 8.e3! Some useful prophylaxis, so that a future ...e6-e5 won’t be effected with tempo. f7 [ I couldn’t wait any longer, since 8...a8 9.h6 f7 10.d6 just leads to a worse version of the game. ] 9.d6 f6! Preparing ...e6-e5, the only chance for counterplay. 10.c6 xc6?! [ I had already spotted the defensive idea and was eager to carry it out, but 10...c4 was more tenacious, postponing the bishop sacrifice. Here White would have to play quite precisely in order to score the full point: 11.c5! ( heading for the a4-pawn; in contrast, after 11.c7?! a6 12.d7 e5 13.c8 xc8+ 14.xc8 f4! 15.gxf4 exf4 16.f2 g5 17.c7 xh5 18.d6 g4 19.e5 h3!? 20.xf4 g2 21.e3 f1! , he can’t make progress ) 11...a6 12.b4 e5 13.xa4 f4 14.gxf4 exf4 15.f2 g5 16.a5 c8 17.b6 xh5 18.a4 and the white pawns are faster. ] 11.xc6 e5 12.b5 f4 13.gxf4 exf4 14.f2! It is essential to deprive the black king
of the g3-square. [ In the game, Sergeev instead went for 14.c5? and after g5 15.xa4 xh5 16.b3 ( or 16.b5 g4 17.a4 g3 18.a5 f2 19.xf2+ xf2 20.a6 g1 etc ) 16...g4 17.c4 g3 18.d3 f2 19.e2 f3+! ( this detail was overlooked by my opponent; though 19...f1+ 20.xf1 f3 21.a4 e4 also worked ) 20.f1 f4 21.a4 e5 22.a5 d5 23.a6 c6 24.xf2 c7 25.a7 c6 , a draw was agreed. ] 14...g5 15.xa4 xh5 16.b4 g4 [ Or 16...g6 17.c5 f7 18.d6 e8 19.c7! and wins. ] 17.c3! Defence first; [ after 17.a4? h3 18.a5 g2 19.a6 xf2 20.a7 g1 21.a8 f2 , Black draws. But note that with the rear pawn on f6 instead, White would win easily here by bringing his queen to g3. ] 17...f5 [ Obviously, 17...h3 18.d2 g2 19.e1 is useless for Black. ] 18.d4 e6 19.c5 d7 20.b6 c8 21.a7! Preventing ...Kb8. [ White now wins by making waiting moves with his bishop; e.g. 21.a7 c7 22.a4 c8 23.a5 c7 24.a6 c8 25.b6 f2 26.xf2 c7 27.g1! c8 28.b6 f3 29.e3! c7 30.f2 c8 31.b6 ( or 31.g3 ) 31...f2 32.xf2 c7 33.e3 c8 34.b6 . ]
Petrosian,TV Kozma,J Munich Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1958
(Diagramme) During the opening and middlegame battle Petrosian did everything possible to maintain the stronghold on d5, and his efforts are now rewarded. Black’s backward d-pawn makes an advance of his central pawn majority impossible, whereas White has no such problem on the kingside. 1.h3! White’s pawn majority starts rolling. [ In contrast, after 1.f5?! gxf5 2.xf5 e5 , it would take much longer for him to create the desired passed pawn. ] 1...a5?! Very passive. [ With 1...e7 2.g4 hxg4+ 3.hxg4 h8!
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, Black could have complicated to some extent, now that 4.f5?! gxf5 5.gxf5 can be met by h3+ , followed by ...Reh6. ] 2.g4 hxg4+ 3.hxg4 e7 4.f5! In just three moves White has succeeded with one of the most fundamental plans in the endgame: the conversion of a pawn majority into a passed pawn. e5?! [ 4...f8 is met by 5.f4! , continuing with the plan. ] [ Instead, the brave 4...gxf5 5.gxf5 h6! was called for, when 6.xd6?! ( anyway, with 6.g5 , White keeps a clear initiative ) 6...h3+ 7.g4 h4+ leaves White short of a good escape from the rook checks. Of course such tactical ideas are more easily spotted with a computer engine by your side! ] 5.xe5 dxe5 6.d2! This is the main defect of Black’s fourth move – now there is no satisfactory defence against the invasion of the enemy rook. f8? [ Kozma misses a tactical trick, but he was short of good choices anyway; e.g. 6...d8 7.xd8 xd8 8.xc5 . ] 7.d7 f7 8.xe7! [ In view of 8.xe7 xe7 9.f6+ , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Fischer,RJ Addison,W US Championship, Cleveland [Johan Hellsten] a
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f6 or g7 White will again just swap it off and then use his pawn majority to win the pawn ending. h5 This counterattack is bound to fail; [ but 7...f7 was equally hopeless after 8.d3 e6 9.d4 , followed by b2-b4, a2a4 etc. ] 8.d3 g4 9.b4! Fischer isn’t distracted by the f4-pawn, preferring to advance his pawn majority, aware that he is practically a piece up. a6 10.a4 gxf3 11.gxf3 h4 12.b5 axb5 13.a5!? h3 14.c6 1-0
Hellsten,J Waitzkin,J Bermuda [Johan Hellsten]
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Again White’s pawn majority is clearly the more mobile one, due to Black’s doubled fpawns. Fischer proceeded with precision. 1.c5! [ The c-pawn should move first, since 1.d5?! c5! would let Black blockade the d-pawn with improved defensive prospects. If now 2.f2 , heading for e4, then simply f5 . ] 1...b8 2.d5 cxd5?! Too co-operative. [ 2...e2+ 3.d3 xg2 4.d6! , with ideas like Ne5-d7 and Re1-e8, clearly favours White ] [ but 2...f5! seems stronger, avoiding the knight check on e5 that follows in the game; e.g. 3.dxc6 bxc6! 4.f2 f6 5.xf6 xf6 6.d3 c7 with far better chances of resistance. ] 3.xd5 f5 4.e5+ xe5 5.xe5! [ After 5.xe5?! f6! 6.xf6 xf6 , Black achieves the defender’s preferred type of ending – a rook ending – and the win becomes more difficult in practice. ] 5...f6 [ Avoiding the rook exchange would let White seize the seventh rank with 6 Re7, while 5...xe5 6.xe5 leaves the knight marginalized from the battle, just like in the game. At this point, f6 runs into ( or similarly 6...g7 7.xg7 etc ) 7.xf6! xf6 8.d3 and White wins comfortably. ] 6.xe8 xe8 7.e5! A final accuracy which leaves the knight immobile, since if it goes to
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Here is an excerpt from my own practice. Despite White’s space advantage Black is better in the above position, thanks to his sounder structure – or more mobile pawn majority, if you prefer. With his next move Waitzkin takes the first step to the realization of this advantage. 1...b6! Preparing ...Kb7, ...a7-a6 and ...b6-b5, with a slow but firm advance of the pawn majority. 2.e2 b7 3.hd1? This is very bad – and just the kind of move that, many years later, I am trying to get my students to avoid in their games. When you have a poor structure, don’t exchange too many pieces (in particular, the rooks); instead, look for dynamics and activity. [ 3.hf1! was correct, preparing f4-f5 with
some counterplay on the f-file. Obviously, g6 is just met by 4.g4 , insisting on the plan. ] 3...a6 4.e1 xd1 5.xd1 xd1 6.xd1 b5 7.axb5 axb5 8.d2 [ Or 8.d6+ xd6 9.exd6 c8 10.e4 e5 and the d6-pawn will fall sooner or later. ] 8...a5 9.b3 c6 10.c2?! [ I should rather have played 10.e2 c4 11.bxc4 xc4 12.b3! . ] 10...c4! Finally, the pawn majority is converted into a passed pawn, whereas White’s extra pawn on the kingside has no real significance. 11.bxc4 xc4 As we just discussed, exchanges usually favour the side with the superior pawn structure. 12.xc4 bxc4 13.e4 b5 14.g4 c5 15.c3 f2 16.f5 c5! With the threat of ...Bd4. In hindsight, the fact that White has a pawn fixed on the same colour as his bishop plays heavily against him in this endgame. Remember that with rooks on the board (cf. 3 Rhf1!), there is no such “colour problem”! 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.b2 e1 19.h3 f2 20.d2 b4 21.c2 c5 22.d2 b4 23.c2 e1! Preparing a deadly ...c4-c3. 24.d4 c3 25.b6 c4 26.a7 g3 27.b8 d4 The rest is easy – Black wins in outside passed pawn fashion. 28.a7+ xe4 29.xc3 xe5+ 30.d2 f3! 31.d3 f4 . In view of the inevitable ...e6-e5-e4-e3, White resigned. 0-1
outside passed pawn on the h-file with an easy win. ] 2.e3 g7 3.g3! The virtue of 1 Kf4 becomes evident: Black can’t prevent f3-f4. e7 4.f4 exf4+ 5.gxf4 f6 6.d6+ g7 7.e5 f7 8.e4 g7 9.f5! Thus White reaches f5 with his king, which means that e5e6 can be effected without worrying about ... Kf6. gxf5+ 10.xf5 With the simple plan of e5-e6, followed by Rd7; [ and 10.xf5 f7+ 11.e6 leaves Black helpless against the threat of 12 Rd7, so he resigned. ] 1-0
Gligoric,S Filip,M Zagreb [Johan Hellsten]
Erenburg,S Murariu,A Las Palmas [Johan Hellsten]
1965
(Diagramme) Here is a final case featuring a “defective” pawn majority on one of the sides. White is far better thanks to his more active rook and favourable pawn structure – on the queenside his two pawns stop three, while on the opposite flank there should, sooner or later, emerge a white passed pawn. 1.f4! A nice piece of provocation – after ... e6-e5 Black’s sixth rank will prove severely weakened; besides, the plan of creating a passed pawn is facilitated. e5+ [ Passive defence won’t help either: 1...c7 2.e5+ g7 3.g5 e7 4.g4! , creating an
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(Diagramme) The queenside pawn majority is a common feature in some openings, such as the c2-c3 Sicilian, the French Tarrasch with 3...c5 4 exd5 Qxd5, and others. In the structure above, Black is usually reluctant to swap too many pieces, since an advance of his central majority tends to be a bit slower than White’s corresponding play on the queenside. Thus the above position is a kind of dream scenario for White – and he has even managed to put his king in an ideal place for the looming queenside expansion. 1.b5! Erenburg advances his pawn majority
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Bauer,C Korneev,O Pamplona [Johan Hellsten]
2006
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and at the same time restricts the enemy bishop. The fact that he fixes his pawns on squares of the “wrong” colour and also cedes the c5-square isn’t a big deal, since Black lacks the space to exploit this. [ In contrast, both 1.c5?! c6 2.f3 d5 3.b5 xc3 4.xc3 d5 ] [ and 1.f3 c6! 2.xc6 bxc6 lead to a lesser advantage than in the game. ] 1...b6? This natural move converts that pawn into a weakness. [ 1...d8 2.f3 c8 was correct, when 3.xd8 xd8 4.c5 yields a clear, but not decisive advantage – Erenburg. ] 2.f3 b8 [ After 2...a7? 3.a4 , the problem with ... b7-b6 is well displayed. Thus Black has to surrender the a-file. ] 3.a1! This move comes with two strong ideas: to seize the seventh rank by Ra7 or attack the b6-pawn by Ra6 and Na4. c8 Preparing ...Nd7-c5. 4.a7+ d7 5.c6! Now White is ready to exchange the defending knight at any moment. f5 [ The immediate 5...d6 fails to 6.e4+ , so Black prepares it. ] 6.a4 d6 7.xd7! Just at the right moment, before the knight escapes to e5. xd7 8.b4! Active king. [ After 8.b4 , the threat of -- 9.xb6! xb6 10.c5+ forces the black king to move away from the b6-pawn, and the rest is easy. ] 8...e7 9.a6 e5 10.xb6 d8 11.b7 f6 12.c5 e8 13.c7 . In view of b5-b6b7 next, Black resigned. 1-0
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White is better here, mainly thanks to his bishop pair, an asset which tends to become more powerful the further the game goes on. Note that the light-squared bishop is doing a good job in restricting Black’s desired plan of ...a7-a6 and ...b6-b5. Bauer found a clever way of improving his central pawn majority. 1.g4! Clearing the way for the e-pawn. By the way, this move would have been just as strong in the event of a normal black structure with pawns on f5-g6-h7. [ Less constructive is 1.e4?! xf4 2.exf5 gxf5 3.xf5 d4 . ] 1...fxg4?! This converts the e-pawn into a strong passed pawn. [ 1...e7 was more stubborn, although after 2.f2 f7 3.f3 , it is not easy to suggest a plan for Black, whereas White could contemplate e3-e4 at a suitable moment. ] 2.hxg4 g5 3.e4! [ Black intended 3.fxg5? e5 with a blockade on the dark squares, but White is not distracted from his original plan. ] 3...d8 4.f5 With the strong idea of Bd5 and e3-e4-e5. f7 5.d5 f8 6.xf7! Eliminating the idea of a blockade on e5. xf7 7.f2 g6 8.f3 Of course the pawns should remain connected. The rest is relatively easy, with the e-pawn asking to be pushed. gxf5 9.gxf5 a6 10.e4 b5 11.axb5 axb5 12.e5 b4 13.e6+ e7 14.d2 e5
[ Or 14...f6 15.xg5+! – Deviatkin. ] 15.xg5+ e8 16.f6 xb2 17.f7+ f8 18.e4 b3 19.f5 g7 20.g6 1-0
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example 131 [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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There is an old endgame rule that says “the candidate first!” and it applies rather well to the above position. In order to realize his pawn majority, White should start by moving the pawn that has no contender on its file; i.e. the candidate to become a passed pawn. 1.a3! [ After 1.b4? e4 , the fact that one pawn stops two saves Black; e.g. 2.e2 d4 ( or even 2...f4 3.d3 g3 4.a4! bxa4 5.b5 a3 6.c3 a2 7.b2 a1+! 8.xa1 xh3 and draws ) 3.f3 c4 with both sides queening in the end. ] [ Even worse is 1.b3?? b4 , when the white queenside pawns are halted one rank further back on the board. Thanks to the opposition, Black actually wins here. ] 1...e4 2.b3 f4 3.a4 bxa4 4.bxa4 e4 5.a5 d5 6.f3 . White wins.
Akesson,R Oleksienko,M Cappelle la Grande [Johan Hellsten]
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1...d4! [ The move order matters: the immediate advance 1...h5? allows White to save himself with 2.g4! hxg4 3.h5 and both players queen. ] After 1...d4 White resigned; let’s see a possible continuation: 2.d1 h5! One pawn stops two. [ In contrast, 2...d3? would only draw after 3.g4 , since Black is left with a rook’s pawn in the end. ] 3.c1 [ Or 3.g4 hxg4 4.h5 g3 and Black queens with check – Baburin. ] 3...d3 4.d1 d2 5.g3 d3 . Black wins. 0-1
Hellsten,J Vaca,D Ambato [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) Here is an example with more pawns. This seems like a dead draw – until Black forgot about the “one pawn stops two” idea and was duly punished. 1...g5+? [ Correct was 1...e6 with a waiting game; e. g. 2.e4 ( or 2.g5 hxg5+ 3.xg5 e7 ) 2...dxe4 3.xe4 f5+! 4.gxf5+ gxf5+ 5.f4 d5! 6.xf5 xd4 and the king gets back in time. ] 2.f3 e6 3.e4! Converting the d-pawn into
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[ Obviously, 3...axb4 4.xb5 cxb5 5.axb4 is terminal ] [ while after 3...b6 4.xa5 , the badly placed rook on b6 spells the end for Black – Baburin. ] 4.bxc5 e5 5.f4 White, on the other hand, has no problems in converting his pawn majority into a passed pawn. exf4 6.f3 f7 7.xf4 f6 8.a4 [ After 8.a4 e6 9.g5 hxg5+ 10.xg5 White wins in outside passed pawn fashion, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
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a passed pawn, just before Black achieves ... f7-f5. d6 4.e3 c6 5.exd5+ xd5 6.d3 By now the defects of 1...g5+ are evident: Black can’t create a passed pawn of his own. f6 7.e3 d6 8.e4 e6 9.d5+ d6 10.f5 1-0
Aronian,L Tkachiev,V World Blitz Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this rook ending Black should be okay after the simple 1...Kf7, but he found a more “active” idea... 1...b5?! 2.b4 a5? 3.c5! Giving rise to a “two pawns stop three” scenario. xc5
Levenfish,G Flohr,S Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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In a typical Catalan endgame, Levenfish probably didn’t think twice about his next move. 1.a5! An advance with several virtues: Black’s pawn majority is paralysed, the strong knight on c5 is secured, and the black bishop remains tied to the b7-pawn. Any other move would have permitted the freeing 1...b6. e7 [ The attempt to exchange the annoying enemy knight with 1...e6 is well met by 2.f5! , when xc5 3.bxc5 , followed by Bc4, Kf4, e4-e5, g3-g4, h2-h4 and g4-g5 should win for White. ] 2.c4 d6 3.d4 e8 4.e5+ Unlike his opponent, White has an easy task in advancing his own pawn majority. fxe5+
5.fxe5+ e7 6.h4! Levenfish has observed that Black has no solid move at his disposal, and puts him into some kind of zugzwang. [ In contrast, the more straightforward 6.e4 , preparing Kc5, permits f5 . ] 6...c7 [ Or 6...g5 7.hxg5 hxg5 8.e4 g4 9.e3 , followed by Kf4, winning the g4-pawn – Shereshevsky. ] 7.e4 e6 Now the b7-pawn falls, but Black had no good alternative; [ e.g. 7...f5 8.d6 ] [ or 7...e8 8.c5 , followed by Kb6 and Nc5. ] 8.d6 xc4 9.xc4 e6 10.xb7 [ Black resigned, in view of 10.xb7 xe5 11.c5 d5 12.d8 e4 13.xc6 c3 14.b8 f3 15.xa6 xg3 16.c7 – Shereshevsky. ] 1-0
example 136 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here is a simple case. White wins by queening with check. 1.b4 axb4 2.a4! So that the pawn queens on a8. [ After 2.axb4? h4 3.b5 g2 , it is a draw. ] 2...b3+ 3.b1! [ But not 3.xb3? g2 4.a5 h4 5.a6 h3 6.a7 h2 7.a8+ g1 with a draw. ] 3...g2 [ Or 3...g3 4.a5 h4 5.a6 h3 6.a7 h2 7.a8 and White’s new queen controls the opponent’s queening square. ]
4.a5 h4 5.a6 h3 6.a7 h2 7.a8+ [ White wins due to the b-pawn remaining on the board; i.e. 7.a8+ g1 8.g8+ f2 9.f7+ g1 10.g6+ f2 11.f5+ g1 12.g4+ f2 13.h3 g1 14.g3+ h1 15.f2 b2 16.f1# . ]
Larsen,B Uhlmann,W Las Palmas (match) (9) [Johan Hellsten] a
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After some careful calculation, Larsen decided to enter the pawn ending. 1.xd6+! xd6 2.f4 d5 3.b5! [ Not 3.f5? h5! 4.g5 c4 and Black escapes. ] 3...axb5 4.a6 c6 5.xe4 It is the f-pawn’s turn to run. [ 5.a7? b7 6.xe4 xa7 7.f4 b6 should obviously be avoided. ] 5...b4 [ Similar play arises after 5...b6 6.f4 ] [ or 5...h5 6.f4 . ] 6.f4 . Here Black resigned; let’s see a possible conclusion of the game: b3 7.d3 b2 8.c2 h5 9.f5 h4 10.f6 h3 11.a7 b7 12.f7 h2 13.a8+! The point – White gains a tempo by promoting with check. [ In contrast, 13.f8? would let Black save himself by the same trick: b1+! 14.xb1 h1+ . ] 13...xa8 14.f8+ . White wins. 1-0
Fischer,RJ Letelier Martner,R Mar del Plata [Johan Hellsten] a
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Quinteros,M Andersson,U America vs. Europe, Mar del Plata [Johan Hellsten]
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Black is in some trouble since his king would be checked once the g-pawn queens. Letelier found the only defence. 1...d4! [ The natural 1...c4? loses after 2.bxc4+ bxc4 ( or 2...xc4 3.g5 and White queens with check ) 3.g5 c3 4.g6 c2 5.g7 c1 6.g8+ d4 ( or 6...d6 7.d8+ and 8 Qc8+ ) 7.d8+! c3 ( the desired 7...e3 fails to 8.g5+ ) 8.c7+ b2 9.xc1+ xc1 10.e4! d2 11.d4 (obstruction) e2 12.c5 . ] [ As for 1...b4? 2.g5 c4 , White wins by 3.g6! . ] 2.g5 c4 3.bxc4 b4! So that the pawn queens with check. [ 3...bxc4? 4.g6 c3 5.g7 c2 6.g8 c1 7.d8+! returns to 1...c4? above. ] 4.g6 [ In the game Fischer erred incredibly with 4.c5?? and had to resign after b3 5.c6 b2 6.c7 b1+ 7.e6 b7 8.d7 d5 9.g6 c6+ 10.d8 d6+ . ] 4...b3 5.g7 b2 6.g8 b1+ . Black saves a draw.
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In this tense pawn ending Black has just advanced ...b5-b4, and White must now play his cards right. 1.axb4? This capture yields Black an extra tempo in the pawn race. [ Correct was 1.h6! c4 2.e7 xe7 3.g7 c3 4.bxc3 bxc3 5.f6+ e6 6.f7 c2 7.f8 c1 with a draw – Andersson. ] 1...cxb4 2.h6 a3 3.e7 xe7 4.g7 [ Unfortunately for White, after 4.bxa3 bxa3 5.g7 a2 , Black queens with check. ] 4...axb2 5.f6+ d7 6.f7 b1 7.f8 White had probably pinned his hopes on defending this queen ending a pawn down; however... g1+! [ After 7...g1+ 8.h6 ( and 8.h7 h2+ 9.g7 g3+ 10.h7 h4+ 11.g6 e4+ 12.h6 e6+ leads to the same thing ) 8...e3+! Black manages a queen exchange either on e8 or e7, so White resigned. ] 0-1
Marsalek,J Smyslov,V European Team Championship, Oberhausen [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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Black has an extra tempo in this pawn race, but how to take advantage of it? 1...xf4! [ After 1...xh4? 2.xa4 , followed by 3 b4, White queens as well. ] 2.xa4 g5 3.hxg5 hxg5! The pawn should queen on g1. Here White resigned; let’s see why: 4.b4 g4 5.b5 e5! By approaching the b-pawn with his king, Black aims at forcing the white king to a7, so that the g-pawn queens with check. 6.b6 d6 7.b5 g3 8.a6 g2 9.b7 c7! 10.a7 g1+ . Black wins – Smyslov. 0-1
2012
(Diagramme) 1.d5! Obstruction. [ In contrast, the game saw both players err: 1.f4? c5? ( a draw was achieved by 1...c6! 2.e5 d7 or 2...b5 ) 2.e5 c6 ( after 2...b5 3.f5 b4 4.f6 , White queens with check ) 3.e6! b5 ( or 3...c7 4.f5 d8 5.f7! and White again queens with check ) 4.f5 b4 5.f6 b3 6.f7 b2 7.f8 b1 8.c8+ and Black resigned. ] 1...a4 2.f4 b5 3.f5 b4 4.c4! [ But not 4.f6? b3 5.f7 b2 6.f8 b1 7.a8+ b3 8.b7+ a2 9.xb1+ xb1 10.e6 c2 and the black king reaches the
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f-file in the end. ] 4...b3 5.c3! Luring the black king to the “mined” a3-square, in similar fashion to Smyslov’s play in the previous example. a3 6.f6 b2 7.f7 b1 8.f8+ a4 [ Or 8...a2 9.a8# . ] 9.a8+ b5 10.b8+ . White wins.
Shirov,A Morozevich,A Jurmala (rapid) [Johan Hellsten] a
Asqui,J Paredes,L Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
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In this critical position Black should carefully evaluate the option of 1...Kb6 and 2...a5, entering a pawn race. 1...b6! Accepting the challenge. [ In contrast, the game saw 1...d5? 2.h4
e4 3.g3! e5 4.f3 d4 5.g5 e5 6.g4 a5 7.bxa5 b4 ( or 7...d6 8.a6 c7 9.a7 b7 10.h5 b4 11.g6 hxg6 12.hxg6 b3 13.g7 b2 14.a8+! , a theme familiar to us from Example 137, Larsen-Uhlmann ) 8.a6 b3 9.a7 b2 10.a8 b1 11.e8+! d6 12.f8+ c7 13.e7+ c6 14.e6+ c7 15.h5! and White won. ] 2.e3 [ More demanding than 2.g5 a5 3.bxa5+ xa5 4.h4 b4 with a draw. ] 2...a5 3.bxa5+ xa5 4.g5 [ After 4.d3 a4 5.c2 a3 6.b1 b3! ( or 6...b4! ) 7.h4 c4 , the king catches the enemy pawns. ] 4...a4! King first. [ The straightforward 4...b4? failed to 5.d3 a4 6.c2 a3 7.b1 ] [ while 4...b6? also loses to 5.h4 c5 6.h5 d5 7.g6 hxg6 8.h6 – Müller. ] 5.h4 [ Or 5.d2 a3 6.c2 a2! 7.c3 a3 , repeating moves. ] 5...b4 6.h5 b3 7.d2 a3! 8.g6 hxg6 9.hxg6 b2 10.g7 b1 11.g8 . Draw.
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Ftacnik,L Bluvshtein,M Nuremberg [Johan Hellsten] a
Mas,H Valdes,L Turin Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
1.d2! Towards the g-pawn, in order to interfere with Black’s race. [ After 1.b3? f3 2.c4 xg3 3.b5 cxb5 4.cxb5 f3 5.b6 g3 6.b7 g2 7.b8 g1 , Black should make a draw. ] 1...f3 2.c4 xg3 3.b5 cxb5 4.cxb5 f2 Stepping into a skewer; [ but the other squares had their defects as well: 4...h2 permits 5.b6 g3 6.b7 g2 7.b8+ , queening with check ] [ 4...h3 leads to a skewer on the g-file after 5.b6 g3 6.b7 g2 7.b8 g1 8.h8+! ] [ while 4...f3 fails to 5.e1! g3 6.f1 , which is why only 1 Kd2! works. ] 5.b6 g3 6.b7 g2 7.b8 g1 8.b6+ g2 9.xg1+ xg1 10.c3 White wins by one tempo. f2 11.b3 e3 12.xa3 e4 13.b4 e5 14.c5 1-0
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The scene is set for a pawn race: Black will take the g3-pawn, and White should create his own passed pawn on the queenside. But where to put the king?
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With his active king White is obviously better, but how to make progress? Ftacnik concluded that winning on a single flank is impossible and, after some calculation, opted for a pawn race. 1.c5! e5 2.g5+ [ Simpler was 2.fxe5+ xe5 3.b6 f4 4.xa6 xg4 5.xb5 xh5 6.c4! ( we are already familiar with this method from the previous examples; in contrast
6.a4? would just draw after g5 ) 6...g5 7.b5 g4 8.d3 h4 9.b6 g3 10.e2 h3 11.b7 g2 12.f2! and wins – as in fact occurred in P.Wells-D.Rogozenco, Odorheiu Secuiesc 1993 (with White beginning 1 Kc6! and Black resigning after 11 b7). ] 2...f5 3.fxe5 xe5 4.b6 f5 5.h6 In order to delay Black’s race. This must have been White’s idea when playing 2 g5+. [ However, 5.xa6 was much simpler; i.e. xg5 6.xb5 xh5 7.c4! and we are back in the previous note. ] 5...g6 6.xa6 xg5 7.xb5 h5 [ 7...h4 was more tenacious, when White would have to use his queen very precisely: 8.c4 g5 9.b5 g4 10.b6 g3 11.b7 g2 12.b8 g1 13.f4+! h3 ( after 13...h5 14.e5+! xh6 15.f6+ h5 16.f7+ h6 17.f8+! h5 18.c5+ , the a-pawn queens, controlling the h1-square ) 14.f5+ h4 15.f6+ h3 ( or 15...h5 16.e5+! , transposing to 13...Kh5 etc ) 16.c3+! h2 17.e5+ and the exchange of queens proves inevitable. ] 8.c4 g5 9.d3 h4 10.b5 g4 11.b6 g3 12.b7 Ftacnik has seen that he can force the queen exchange after the dual promotion. [ Of course 12.e3 h3 13.b7 g2 14.f2! was also possible. ] 12...g2 13.b8 g1 14.f4+ h5 [ Or 14...h3 15.e3+ . ] 15.e5+! [ In view of 15.e5+ xh6 16.e3+! , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Vaganian,R Lautier,J Manila Interzonal [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) Relying on an extra pawn Lautier takes the opportunity to transpose to a pawn ending, perhaps already at this point anticipating a future race of passed pawns. 1...a4! 2.d4 The best try. [ After 2.a5 a1! ] [ or 2.d2 xc3+ 3.xc3 xb3 4.xb3 g6 5.a4 h5 6.b5 g4 7.c6 xf4 8.xd6 e3 , followed by 9...f4, Black wins
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with less effort – Lautier. ] 2...xd4 3.xd4+ cxd4 4.b2 xb3! Setting the scene for a pawn race. [ Less convincing is 4...d3?! 5.d2 c6 ( or 5...g6 6.c3 c2 7.f1 , heading for e3 ) 6.c3 e4 7.f1! g6 8.g3 with a barrier. ] 5.xb3 This position has been used as a blindfold exercise in my classes, with Black to play and win. If you are up for a little challenge, try it out – it is about one, long line without any subvariations until the very end. g6 6.c2 h5 7.d3 g4 8.xd4 xf4 9.d5 e3! As often occurs in pawn races, the king move releasing the pawn's advance is the key to success. [ Both 9...g4? 10.xd6 f4 11.c5 f3 12.c6 f2 13.c7 f1 14.c8+ ] [ and 9...g3? 10.xd6 f4 11.c5 f3 12.c6 f2 13.c7 f1 14.c8 f6+ 15.d5! would fail the test ] [ but 9...g5!? , with a check on f6 at the end, also works. ] 10.xd6 f4 11.c5 f3 12.c6 f2 13.c7 f1 14.c8 f6+! The final detail. [ The exchange of queens is inevitable, e.g. 14...f6+ 15.d5 d4+ 16.c6 c4+ , so White resigned. ] 0-1
Chapter Three
Rook Themes The three angles Intermediate checks Bridges Cutting the king off The rook behind the passed pawn Rook defends pawns Files and ranks Exploiting the rook's mobility
The three angles When discussing the role of the rook in the endgame, it makes sense to remember three typical ways this piece works: rear attacks, side attacks and frontal attacks. The ability to switch the rook's angle according to the needs of the position, both when fighting for win or a draw, is imperative for any player aiming at success in the endgame. Example 146 A.Philidor Example 147 Example 148 Now let's see what happens if the weaker side omits the first step in Philidor's defence. Example 149 A.Philidor Example 150 G.Levenfish, V.Smyslov Now let's see a few examples featuring a frontal attack. Example 151 A frequent situation for a frontal attack is when the defender's king has been cut off from the pawn's file, as in the next three examples. Example 152 G.Levenfish, V.Smyslov Let's try something else for White from the same position: Example 153 G.Levenfish, V.Smyslov However, if we arrange the same position with the black king on e7 instead of e6, the outcome is different: Example 154 G.Levenfish, V.Smyslov Now it is time to see some of these ideas in practice, starting with the rear attacks. Example 155 I.Rajlich-K.Szczepkowska, Polish Women's Championship, Warsaw 2012 Here are two examples featuring rear attacks with more pawns on the board.
Example 156 S.Volkov-S.Rublevsky, Russia 2002 Example 157 P.Acs-V.Zvjaginsev, European Championship, Ohrid 2001 Next, let's examine some cases featuring side attacks. Example 158 G.Sax-V.Tseshkovsky, Zagreb 1975 Example 159 A.Matsukevich-A.Lein, USSR 1968 Example 160 A.Berke-B.Franciskovic, Rijeka 2007 Example 161 N.Pogonina-S.Soumya, World Team Championship, Mardin 2011 Example 162 V.Khomyakov-A.Miles, Alushta 1999 Example 163 A.Moen-O.Ladva, Istanbul Olympiad 2012 Example 164 S.Erenburg-E.Ju, New Jersey 2008 Here is an example which shows that a side attack can also be used by the stronger side. Example 165 B.Jobava-J.Hellsten, European Team Championship, Gothenburg 2005 Now let's see some frontal attacks. Example 166 P.Sowray-N.Berry, British League 2011 Example 167 I.Sokolov-H.Banikas, Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad 2010 Example 168 S.Winawer-G.Mackenzie, London 1883 Here is a more complex case. Example 169 K.Landa-M.Dambacher, Dutch Team Championship 2007 Example 170 P.Popovic-J.Schwalfenberg, German League 2009 Example 171 L.Fressinet-M.Krämer, German League 2009 Finally, let's see three examples where the rook switched its angle with great success. Example 172 M.Klinova-I.Krush, Dresden Olympiad 2008 Example 173 V.Anand-F.Vallejo Pons, Linares 2005 Example 174
Example 174 V.Titenko-J.Murey, Moscow 1963
Intermediate checks An intermediate check with the rook is quite a common method in endgame practice, usually with the aim of displacing the enemy king before moving the rook to its desired destination. Here are some examples, starting with a very basic one. Example 175 Example 176 Example 177 A.Rubinstein-G.Salwe, Lodz 1908 Example 178 J.Hellsten-M.Lazic, Menton 2003 Example 179 A.Karpov-V.Hort, Tilburg 1979 Intermediate checks are easy to omit in practice, as the following example shows. Example 180 R.Tischbierek-I.Schneider, German League 2010 As we saw in Karpov-Hort, in rook vs. pawn(s) endings the intermediate check is a useful weapon for the stronger side. Here is one more example on this topic. Example 181 P.Svidler-L.Bruzón Batista, Calvia Olympiad 2004 In the same type of ending, the intermediate check can also be used when the side with the rook is fighting for a draw. Here is a rather dramatic case. Example 182 V.Gunina-T.Shadrina, Russian Women's Championship, Gorodets 2006 Of course an intermediate check isn't the best choice on every occasion. Here is one example featuring the misuse of this method. Example 183 J.Hellsten-N.Managadze, Kavala 2003
Bridges By a “bridge” I refer to the idea of covering the king with a fellow piece, usually a rook or a bishop, thus cutting the range of an enemy piece. We have already seen many cases of such bridges (by the way, “curtains” is another possible expression) in earlier examples, for exampleLucena's bridge at the beginning of the present chapter. Here are a few further examples. Example 184 U.Andersson-L.Christiansen, Hastings 1978/79 Example 185 M.J.Herman-E.Perelshteyn, Lubbock 2011 Example 186 R.Edouard-M.Cornette, French Championship, Belfort 2010 Example 187 A.Dunn-R.Aloma Vidal, Gibraltar 2012 In endings with bishops of the same colour, the bridge is a common weapon for the stronger side, as in the
In endings with bishops of the same colour, the bridge is a common weapon for the stronger side, as in the following two examples. Example 188 M.Klenburg-V.Golod, Novy Bydzov 2002 Example 189 J.H.Donner-V.Smyslov, Havana 1964
Cutting the king off The method of cutting off the enemy king is seen rather frequently in endgame practice, and it determines the result in several theoretical rook endings, as in the next example. Example 190 Here is a slightly more complex case. Example 191 M.Tal-N.Krogius, Tbilisi 1956 Example 192 N.Zhukova-N.Pogonina, European Women's Championship, Plovdiv 2008 Example 193 V.Gashimov-D.Jakovenko, FIDE Grand Prix, Elista 2008 Now let's see the same method being applied in positions with more pawns. Example 194 A.Galliamova-Hou Yifan, FIDE Grand Prix, Kazan 2012 Example 195 J.Dorfman-F.Vallejo Pons, Mondariz 2000 Example 196 E.Safarli-H.Melkumyan, Dubai 2010 Example 197 S.Gligoric-A.Matanovic, Bled 1961 Example 198 P.Keres-A.Alekhine, AVRO Tournament, The Netherlands 1938 Example 199 L.Piasetski-M.Manolache, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 2008 In the preceding examples, the idea of cutting off the king mostly occurred on files. Now let's examine some cases where the king is cut off along a rank. Example 200 Y.Kuzubov-A.Van Beek, European Championship, Plovdiv 2008 Cutting off the enemy king along the seventh rank can have decisive tactical implications, as in the next example. Example 201 L.Van Wely-A.Giri, Dutch Championship, Eindhoven 2010 As I mentioned earlier in this chapter, if possible try to avoid leaving your king cut off on the eighth (first) rank in the endgame! Here is another example on the subject. Example 202 L.Van Beek-J.Michielsen, Dutch Team Championship 2008 Occasionally, it makes sense to cut off the enemy king horizontally from behind; i.e. so that he can't return to the
Occasionally, it makes sense to cut off the enemy king horizontally from behind; i.e. so that he can't return to the main battlefield. Here is one such case. Example 203 E.Bareev-B.Lalic, World Team Championship, Lucerne 1997 The sixth rank is often used for cutting off the enemy king too, as in the next two examples. Example 204 S.Gligoric-P.Popovic, Novi Sad 1979 Example 205 F.Caruana-V.Anand, Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012 The idea of cutting off the king along the fifth rank has a specific role in rook vs. pawn endings, which is overlooked surprisingly often in practice. Let's see two examples. Example 206 Ding Liren-Zhou Jianchao, Chinese Team Championship 2012 Example 207 S.Atalik-A.Mastrovasilis, Athens 2003
The rook behind the passed pawn An old endgame principle is to place your rook behind the passed pawn, no matter whether it's yours or the opponent's. Leaving out a few exceptions, it remains highly applicable in today's practice. Let's see some examples on this theme, starting with a few classics. Example 208 Em.Lasker-A.Rubinstein, St Petersburg 1914 Example 209 J.R.Capablanca-F.Marshall, St Petersburg 1914 Example 210 E.Berg-J.Bellon Lopez, Gothenburg 2004 Example 211 R.Vasquez Schroder-J.Hellsten, Santiago 2005 Example 212 R.Barhudarian-E.Rozentalis, Stockholm 2007 Now let's see some examples where it is the defender's rook that manages to place itself behind the passed pawn. This is indeed a fundamental defensive method in the endgame, whose power we recently witnessed in Caruana-Anand. Example 213 I.Lipnitsky-V.Smyslov, USSR Championship, Moscow 1952 Example 214 A.Grischuk-V.Anand, World Championship, Mexico City 2007 When examining rook endings with an extra pawn on the queenside, special attention should be paid to the location of that pawn – when it's on the sixth rank, the attacker's king can hide in front of it, whereas on the seventh, there is no such possibility – on the other hand, it creates tactical motifs related to a check with the attacker's rook. Here is one clarifying example. Example 215 A.Riazantsev-S.Dvoirys, Cheliabinsk 2007 The previous examples all had in common that one side possessed a passed pawn on the queenside. Such rook endings are indeed quite frequent in practice, and they have been extensively analysed within endgame theory. Here is one more ending of this type.
Here is one more ending of this type. Example 216 M.Gurevich-I.Glek, Vlissingen 2002 As mentioned in the introduction to the current section, exceptions to the “place your rook behind the passed pawn” principle exist. Here is one. Example 217 G.Kamsky-A.Karpov, Linares 1994 The idea of placing the rook behind the passed pawn is also relevant in other types of endings. Let's see a few examples, both from a defender's and an attacker's perspective. Example 218 B.Gulko-M.Dvoretsky, USSR Championship, Yerevan 1975 Example 219 B.Tadic-I.Miladinovic, Serbian Championship, Pancevo 2006 In this final example, the white rook did really impressive work. Example 220 M.Botvinnik-C.Zuidema, Amsterdam 1966
Rook defends pawns Occasionally in rook endings with pawns on both flanks, the stronger side manages to protect several of his pawns with the rook, thus liberating the king from such a task. Let's see an illustrative example. Example 221 P.Leko-V.Anand, Linares 2003 In the previous example Leko's rook was already well placed from the beginning. Here are a few further examples which will show how such a “rook defends pawns” scenario can be achieved. Example 222 J.Norri-J.Hellsten, Hallsberg 1991 Example 223 V.Smyslov-G.Forintos, Monte Carlo 1968 Example 224 I.Morovic Fernandez-B.Gulko, New York Open 1988
Files and ranks Now we have arrived at the topic of seizing ranks and files with our rooks. By the way, I touched upon this subject quite thoroughly from a middlegame perspective inMastering Chess Strategy. Among all the ranks, the seventh (for Black – the second) has particular importance in the endgame, due to the proximity to the enemy pawns, alongside the potential mating motifs. Often the seizure of the seventh rank is a consequence of the control of an open file. Here are some related examples. Example 225 K.Lerner-A.Mikhalchishin, USSR 1979 Example 226 G.Salwe-A.Rubinstein, Carlsbad 1907 Example 227 A.Karpov-W.Uhlmann, Madrid 1973 Example 228 T.V.Petrosian-Y.Balashov, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1977
T.V.Petrosian-Y.Balashov, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1977
Exploiting the rook's mobility Finally, let's see some examples where the rook, exploiting its great mobility, excels in the battle against minor pieces. The next endgame is featured in Marin's interesting work, Learn from the Legends. Example 229 L.Grigorian-M.Tal, USSR Team Championship 1967 Example 230 M.Dutreeuw-J.Hellsten, European Team Championship, Gothenburg 2005 Example 231 A.Matanovic-B.Larsen, Portoroz Interzonal 1958 To counterbalance the previous examples, in this last one we will see a less favourable role for the rooks. Example 232 B.Larsen-S.Gligoric, Lugano 1970 Chapter 4: Minor Piece Themes Back to Contents Page
example 146 Philidor,A [Johan Hellsten] a
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Let’s start with something very simple. Black’s task is to prevent 2 Ke6, creating the threat of 3 Rh8. The only solution is a rear attack with the rook on White’s king. 1...a1! Equally possible is 1...Ra2, 1...Ra3 or even 1...Ra4, but usually in the endgame, the further we can place our rook from the enemy forces, the better. The edges of the board (a- and h-files, 1st and 8th ranks) tend to be the rook’s preferred working areas. 2.e6 e1+ 3.d5 d1+ Since White isn’t actually threatening anything, most other moves do as well; [ however, leaving the rear angle with 3...e8? would lead to defeat after 4.c6 g8 5.a7! . Such a passive defence, with king and rook on the back rank, only works against rook’s pawns and knight’s pawns. ] 4.c6 c1+ . White can’t make progress: draw.
example 147 [Johan Hellsten]
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[ e.g. 2.g7 a6 3.g6 is useless due to xg6 4.xg6 e7 . ] 2...b1! The same procedure as before – once 3 Kf6 is a threat, the rook prepares a rear attack. This two-step method, waiting on the sixth rank until the pawn advances and then launching a rear attack with the rook, was discovered by Philidor. His method keeps great importance in practice, as we will see in a few later examples in this section. 3.f6 f1+ 4.e5 e1+ 5.d6 d1+ . Draw.
example 148 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Bearing the previous example in mind, it is not difficult to spot Black’s best defence here. 1...b6! Preventing the advance of the enemy king. 2.e6 The only way to try and progress;
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Here is a slightly different case. White hasn’t managed to maintain an ideal position with his king in front of the enemy pawn; on the other
hand his rook is well placed on the c-file, controlling the black pawn from the rear. How to continue? 1.c7! A waiting move which, if possible, tends to be an excellent choice when the opponent has no real threats. [ In contrast, the “active” 1.d8+? fails to c4 2.c8+ ( or 2.b8 c2 3.c8+ b3 with similar play ) 2...b3 3.b8+ c2 and Black has drastically improved his king. Then he wins by pushing the pawn to c2 and building a bridge; e.g. 4.c8 b2 5.b8+ c1 6.c8 c2 7.b8 g7! (a switch of angle) 8.e1 e7+ 9.f2 e5! 10.b7 d2 11.d7+ c3 12.c7+ d3 13.d7+ c4 14.c7+ c5 , a method discovered by Lucena. ] 1...g2+ 2.d1 g1+ 3.e2 Black can’t make progress: draw. [ Of course 3.c2 is fine as well. ]
example 149 Philidor,A [Johan Hellsten] a
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2...b2? 3.a8+ d7 4.e6+ d6 5.d8+ c7 6.e7 , White wins ] [ and 2...b6+? 3.e6 is equally bad. ] [ 2...f1+? also loses: 3.e6 f8 ( or 3...d8 4.a8+ c7 5.e7 , followed by e5-e6, and the black rook lacks the space for a successful side attack from the h-file ) 4.a8+ g7 5.d7 d1+ ( the threat was 6 e6, and 5...f7+ 6.d6 makes no difference ) 6.e7 b1 7.e6 and White wins, thanks to his rook controlling the edge (the a-file); e.g. b7+ 8.d6 b6+ 9.d7 b7+ 10.c6 e7 11.d6 . ] 3.e6 [ Or 3.e6 f1+ , in Philidor style. ] 3...f8! To the short side of the pawn, so that the rook will have more space for a future side attack. [ Actually 3...d8 also draws after 4.a8+ c7 5.e8 h1 6.f7 h7+ 7.g6 d7! , an idea discovered by Lasker; but I wouldn’t recommend it since it doesn’t work against c- or f-pawns. ] 4.a8+ g7 5.e8 [ Or 5.d6 f7! , preventing e5-e6. The text creates the threat of 6 Kd7, so Black needs to find a good defence. ] 5...a1! A key move, preparing a side attack now that the white rook left the edge. 6.d7 [ After 6.d8 e1! 7.d6 f7 , White hasn’t gotten anywhere. ] 6...a7+ 7.d6 a6+ . Draw. This kind of defensive set-up, with the king on the short side and the rook on the long side of the pawn, is referred to as “the defence of the long side” in this book.
example 150 Levenfish, Smyslov [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1...b1 [ As we already know, 1...b6 is the optimum choice here. ] 2.f6! [ Obviously, 2.e6 b6+ is useless for White ] [ as is 2.e6 f1+ . ] 2...e1! Tying the white king to the pawn. [ In the previous example we saw the successful usage of waiting moves. Here such an idea is clearly mistaken: after
If the pawn already managed to reach the sixth rank, then the defence becomes more tricky. 1...a7+ Initiating a side attack. [ The analogous 1...e1? from the previous example no longer works due to 2.d7 d1+ ( or 2...f6 3.f8+ ) 3.e8 and the pawn reaches the seventh rank, which means a win by means of Lucena’s bridge, as we saw in Example 148 above. ]
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2.d7 [ 2.e8? runs into f6 3.d6 e7+ ] [ while after 2.d6 a6+ ( not 2...f6? 3.f8+ g7 4.e7 ) 3.e5 a5+ 4.d5 a8! , White can’t make progress; e.g. 5.b5 g6 6.b7 ( or 6.d6 f6 , followed by side checks ) 6...a1 7.d6 a6+ 8.d7 ( 8.e7 a8 is similar to 3 Rc7 Kg6! in the main line ) 8...a8 9.e7 f7 with a draw. ] 2...a8! The easiest choice, denying White of the back rank; [ though a king raid by 2...a1 3.e8+ f6 4.e7 e6! 5.f8 f1+! 6.e8 a1 is possible as well. ] 3.d6! An astute try. [ After 3.d6+ f8 ( or 3...f6 4.f7+ g6 5.f1 a6+! , followed by more side checks ) 4.e7+ e8 5.e6 a6+ 6.d6 a8 , Black holds more comfortably ] [ while 3.c7 is well met by the waiting move g6! as in the main line. ] [ In contrast, 3.c7 b8? permits 4.a7! and the black rook becomes short of space; e.g. g6 ( or 4...b1 5.a8 b7+ 6.d6 b6+ 7.d7 b7+ 8.c6 e7 9.d6 etc ) 5.a1! (a switch of angle with the aim of dislodging the enemy king from the g-file, thus liberating squares for his own king) b7+ 6.d6 b6+ 7.d7 b7+ 8.d8 f6 ( or 8...b8+ 9.c7 b2 10.e1! and the pawn reaches e7, after which the bridge decides ) 9.e7 b8+ 10.c7 e8 11.d6! b8 12.f1+ g7 13.c7 a8 14.a1! e8 15.d7 and wins. This variation shows the importance of controlling the edge with the rook, in this case the a-
file. ] 3...g6! Just as after 3 Rc7 Black should try to maintain the current defensive set-up. [ In contrast, 3...a7+? fails to 4.e8! , intending f6 5.e7+ with check. This is the point behind 3 Rd6, and no less than Magnus Carlsen actually fell victim of such a trap once, against Aronian in Moscow 2006. ] 4.c6 [ As we saw earlier, 4.d7 f6 5.e7+ f7 is useless for White. ] 4...g7! . White can’t make progress: draw. The defence of the long side is quite relevant in practice since, for various reasons, Philidor’s defence might not be available. For example, in the aforementioned AronianCarlsen game, the rook and pawn vs. rook ending emerged with the black rook already placed on f1, unable to reach the sixth rank.
example 151 [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this very simple example, White wins if he exploits the mobility of the rook. 1.a1! Switching to a frontal attack. [ In contrast, the greedy 1.xb7? just draws after f7 2.a7 b8! . ] 1...xe7 [ 1...f7 is met by 2.f1+ g7 3.d7 . ] 2.f1+ . A decisive piece of deflection. Incidentally, White also wins without the b7pawn on the board: 1 Ra1! Rb8 (as after 3 Rc7 Rb8? in the previous example, the black
rook runs out of space here) 2 Rf1+ Kg7 3 Kc7! Ra8 4 Ra1! etc.
example 152 Levenfish, Smyslov [Johan Hellsten] a
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A typical plan for the attacker in such positions is the following: 1) transfer the king to a square located at two squares’ distance diagonally from the pawn (here: a6 or e6); 2) once the pawn is attacked, protect the pawn with the rook; 3) advance the pawn, assisted by the king. If the defender can’t interfere with this plan at some moment, he is bound for defeat. 1.b4 b8+! 2.a5 c8! Keeping up the frontal attack. Black’s main priority is to prevent the advance of the pawn; [ 2...a8+? would be wrong in view of 3.b6 b8+ 4.c7 and the pawn is ready to move forward. ] 3.b5 b8+ 4.a6 The first step of the plan has been achieved. c8 [ 4...a8+? again loses after 5.b7 a5 6.b6 and 7 c5. ] 5.d4 The second step. [ Less critical is 5.c1 d6 and the black king approaches the pawn; e.g. 6.b7 c7+ 7.b6 c6+ 8.b5 c7 with a draw in Philidor style. ] 5...e5! The only defence against the threat of 6 Kb7. 6.d5+ [ If 6.h4 , then d6! again secures the draw; e.g. 7.b7 c7+ 8.b6 c6+ 9.b5 c5+ 10.b4 g5 . ]
6...e6 7.b5 White tries a new plan. b8+ 8.a4 c8 9.b4 b8+ 10.b5 h8 11.b7 To cut off the black king from the seventh rank. However, White’s own king is too remotely placed for this idea to be successful. d6 12.b5 h5+ 13.b6 c5 [ Now the only way to save the pawn is 13...c5 14.d7+ xd7 15.xc5 , but then follows c7 with a draw. ]
example 153 Levenfish, Smyslov [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c5 In order to avoid the frontal checks, White pushes the pawn at once. [ Now it transpires that after 1.c5 c8? 2.c4 , followed by 3 Kb5 (or 3 c6, if Black plays 2...Rb8), the advance of the white pawn and king can’t be prevented. Fortunately for Black, there is another defensive method available. ] 1...e7! 2.c4 d8! Thus Black creates a bridge for his king towards the queenside, [ aware that the pawn ending arising after 2...d8 3.xd8 xd8 4.b5 c7 is drawn. ] 3.h1 d7 4.h7+ c6 5.h6+ c7 Black draws; [ e.g. 5...c7 6.b5 b8+ . ]
example 154 Levenfish, Smyslov [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.b4! [ Incidentally, with Black to move the starting position is a draw: 1.-- d8! 2.xd8 ( or 2.h1 d6 and the king reaches the c-file ) 2...xd8 3.b4 ( or 3.d4 ) 3...c8! , taking the opposition next move if White approaches with his king. ] 1...b8+ [ This time a bridge with 1...d8 no longer works, due to 2.xd8 xd8 3.b5 and White wins. ] 2.a5 c8 3.b5 b8+ 4.a6 c8 5.d4 White has achieved the two initial steps of the plan outlined in Example 152. e6 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 5...b8 6.c5 . ] 6.b7! c5 [ Black has no time for 6...e5 , due to 7.d5+ . ] 7.b6 c8 8.c5 . White wins by Lucena’s bridge in the end.
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1...a6+! Initiating Philidor’s defence is the easiest way to a draw. [ Another practical choice is 1...b3 in order to meet 2.f6 with f4+ ] [ or else 1...a1 with the same idea of a rear check. ] [ In the game Black instead opted for the careless 1...g4?? and after 2.f6 a8 3.xb4 g3 4.e6 g2 5.h4! ( a decisive switch of angle; in contrast 5.g4 permits the unexpected a7 6.xg2 f7+! ) 5...g1 6.h8+ g8 7.e7+ , she had to resign. ] 2.f5 [ Or 2.d7 f7 3.xb4 a7+ with a side attack. ] 2...c6 3.e6 c1 . Draw.
Volkov,S Rublevsky,S Russia [Johan Hellsten]
2002
(Diagramme) Rajlich,I Szczepkowska,K Polish Women's Championship, Warsaw 2012 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) In exchange for her pawn deficit White has much the more active pieces, so Black should be careful.
1...f2! In rook endings with one extra pawn on the same flank, a rear attack tends to be an excellent idea for the defender. 2.f5 g6 3.g4 h7 4.g3 f1! The rook keeps its preferred angle. 5.a5 g1+ 6.f4 h1 7.h5 h3 8.a3 g8 9.e5 h7 10.e4 g3 11.d3 g1 12.d2 [ Or 12.f5 g3 and White doesn’t make progress. ] 12...g3 13.f4 g1 14.f5 f1 15.f4 g1
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16.d7 Preparing g4-g5. [ The immediate 16.g5 permits hxg5 17.fxg5 g6+! 18.hxg6+ g7 with a rapid draw; e.g. 19.d7+ g8 20.g7 a1! 21.g6 a6+ 22.h5 a1 etc. ] 16...f1! Next Black concentrates on preventing or neutralizing the g4-g5 advance. By the way, in the game L.Stein-M.Tal, Parnu 1971, Tal defended the same ending in very similar fashion. 17.e4 g1! 18.f3 f1+ 19.g3 g1+ 20.h3 f1 21.f5 This doesn’t make much sense, but White had no other way of progressing. g8 [ Another option is 21...f2 ; for example, 22.g3 f1 23.d8 e1 24.f4 f1+ 25.e4 g1 . ] 22.d6 f7 23.g6 f3+ The rook stays on the f-file so as to rule out f5-f6. 24.h2 f2+ 25.g3 ½-½
Acs,P Zvjaginsev,V European Championship, Ohrid [Johan Hellsten]
2001
(Diagramme) At first sight, White seems to be in big trouble since the e5-pawn can’t be saved. However, a rear attack comes to his avail. 1.h7+ g5 2.g7+ f4 3.f7+ xe5 4.g7 In order to tie Black’s pieces to the defence of his pawns. f5 5.g8! To the edge, increasing the rook’s range. It is
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worth noticing that if the black g-pawn was still on g5, then the king could have hidden on g4 at this point. e5 6.f8+ e4 7.g8 g3 [ Or 7...e2+ 8.g3! . ( But not 8.f1? a2 , when 9.xg4+ fails to f3 . Generally speaking in the endgame, avoid leaving your king cut off on the first (or eighth) rank. )] 8.d8! Obviously, the g3-pawn was untouchable. Now it transpires that Black can’t make progress easily without losing that pawn. a3 9.e8 d5 10.d8+ e4 11.e8 e3 12.d8 f5 13.f8+ e6 14.e8+ d7 15.g8 d6 [ Or 15...e4 16.xg3 with a draw. Note that in the following, Acs doesn’t let his opponent play ...e5-e4, after which the transfer of the black king to e3 would become dangerous for him. ] 16.d8+ c5 17.c8+ d4 18.d8+ e4 19.a8 Some waiting tactics until the black king defines his next step. d3 20.a7 f5 21.f7+! [ Passive defence with 21.a8? permits e4! 22.f8+ e5 23.e8+ f4 24.f8+ e3 25.xg3 a3! , seizing the edge, which means that the defence of the long side won’t work properly. ] 21...e6 22.a7 d5 [ Now if 22...e4 , White was ready with the reply 23.a5! , cutting off the king from the fifth rank, when neither d5 ( nor 23...e3 24.xg3 ) 24.a6+ leads anywhere for Black. ] 23.d7+ c4 24.e7 d4 25.d7+ e3 26.a7! f4 [ On 26...e4 27.xg3 the point of White’s previous move becomes clear: his rook now
controls the edge, and after e2+ 28.g2 e3 29.a1! d2 30.g3 , the defence of the long side secures a draw. ] 27.f7+ g4 28.g7+ f5 29.f7+ e6 30.a7 c3 31.a8 d5 32.d8+ c4 33.e8 d4 34.d8+ e3 35.a8! Again to the edge; [ so that 35.a8 e4 can be met by 36.xg3 d2+ 37.g2 . ] 35...d2 36.e8 e3 37.a8 e4 38.e8! Restricting the enemy rook. d3 39.d8+ c4 40.e8 d5 41.d8+ e6 42.e8+ d6 43.d8+ e7 44.g8 d6 45.xg3 xg3+ 46.xg3 ½-½
Sax,G Tseshkovsky,V Zagreb [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black’s position seems difficult, and Tseshkovsky actually resigned at this very moment. However, he could have saved himself by a side attack. 1...h7! The king must control g8. [ After 1...h6? 2.f7 c8 3.g8 , White wins. ] 2.f7 c8! Initiating a side attack. 3.d7 [ Or 3.e7 c7+ 4.e8 c8+ and White can’t make progress. ] 3...a8! To the edge! [ It transpires that White can’t do anything against the side checks; e.g. 3...a8 4.a3!? b8 5.e7 b7+ with a draw. ]
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Matsukevich,A Lein,A USSR [Johan Hellsten]
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As we saw in the previous example, a bishop’s pawn is less threatening to the defender than a central pawn since his rook will have one more file to work on. Even so, White should proceed with some care as the black pawn is about to reach the second rank. 1.a2! Such retreats from a check in advance are rather frequent in earlier stages of the battle (I covered the subject in the Prophylaxis chapter of 'Mastering Chess Strategy'), and they occasionally appear in the endgame as well. [ In contrast, the game saw 1.b8? c3+ 2.a2 d1! ( creating a haven for the king on c1; perhaps Matsukevich only counted on 2...c2? 3.d8+ with a successful rear attack ) 3.d8+ ( or 3.h8 c2 and the pawn queens ) 3...c1 4.h8 c2 5.h2 d8 and White resigned, in view of 6.h1+ ( or 6.b3 b1 7.xc2 b8+ ) 6...d2 7.h2+ c3 8.h3+ d3 . ] 1...c3 2.h4 Thanks to his prophylactic first move White gained greater flexibility on his next, and is now ready for a side attack. e1 [ Or 2...c2 3.h2+ and the black king has nowhere to hide. ] 3.h2+ e2 4.h1! [ Black can’t make progress; e.g. 4.h1 c2 5.b2 e8 6.h2+ d1 7.h1+ . ]
Berke,A Franciskovic,B Rijeka [Johan Hellsten] a
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4.a7! Initiating a side attack. [ Black can’t make progress; e.g. 4.a7 e1 ( or 4...e2 5.a2+ ) 5.f7 e3 6.g2 . ]
Pogonina,N Soumya,S World Team Championship, Mardin [Johan Hellsten]
2011
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White was never able to apply Philidor’s defence, and so must now rely on the defence of the long side. 1.f7! A good angle for the rook, [ parrying Black’s intended 1.-- a1+ 2.e2 f3+ . ] [ In the game White defended against this threat with 1.b1?? , but after f3 2.c1 h2 she had to resign. As we already know, such a passive defence only works against knight’s pawns and rook’s pawns. ] [ However, 1.g7+ f3 2.g1! (to the short side) is also possible; e.g. a1+ 3.h2 e3 4.e7+ f2 5.b7! f3 6.b2+ and the bishop’s pawn yields White sufficient space for her side attack. ] 1...f3 [ Obviously, 1...f3 is now useless due to 2.g7+ . ] 2.g1! To the short side. [ Even players with an Elo rating above 2500 can fail in basic endgames, as the following fragment shows: 2.e1?? a1+ 3.d2 f1! (shepherding the pawn to the second rank) 4.f8 g2 5.g8+ f2 6.g7 f3 7.g8 g1 8.h8 g2 9.h1 g8 and White resigned, in view of the inevitable ...Kg2 and ...f2 next, Ju Wenjun-T. Grabuzova, Moscow 2010. ] 2...a1+ 3.h2 f1 [ After 3...e3 4.g2 a2+ 5.f1 , Black hasn’t progressed – Baburin. ]
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Here is a similar case. The a6-pawn has little relevance for the result – unless Black hangs on to it as in the game! 1...f2! The same method as in the previous example, tying the white king to the pawn. [ In contrast, the game saw 1...a2? 2.a8+ h7 3.f7 a5?? ( materialism cost Black half a point in this game; after 3...b2! 4.xa6 b7+ 5.e6 g7 6.f6+ g6 , it is a draw ) 4.f6 b2 5.f8 a4 6.f7 a3 7.e7! ( of course not 7.xa3? b8+ ) 7...e2+ 8.d6 and Black resigned. ] 2.xa6 f1 A waiting move. 3.a8+ h7 4.e6 g7 5.a7+ f8 6.f6 g8 7.a8+ h7 8.f8 a1! In view of the threat Ke7 and f6-f7, the rook switches its angle. 9.e8 f1 . Black draws – Baburin.
Khomyakov,V Miles,A Alushta [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1999
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Here is a more complex example. Due to his badly placed king, which should have been at least on the g-file, White is in big trouble. 1.a3+! Initiating a side attack, and avoiding the mate on h5. [ Instead, the game saw 1.h2? xf2 2.a2+ f3 A) 3.a3+ e3 4.a2 e2 and White resigned. ( 4...-- ); B) 3.g1 is a more tenacious try, although after d5! ( not 3...e3? 4.f1! , preparing the trick Rf2+ ) 4.f2+ e3 5.f8 a5! 6.g2 a2+ 7.g3 a1 8.g2 ( or 8.b8 g1+ 9.h2 g7 – Hecht ) 8...d3 9.b8 e3 , Black’s control of the a-file leaves the white rook short of space for the side attack. ] 1...xf2 2.g4! This is the key move: for the side attack to work properly the black king must be deprived of the f3-square. [ In contrast, 2.a2+? f3 loses similarly as in the game. ] 2...f8 [ Or 2...d5 3.f4! with a draw – Baburin, since d3 can be met by 4.a2+ . ] 3.a2+ Now the black king has nowhere to hide. e3 4.a3+ d4 5.a4+ d3 6.a3+ c2 7.e3 . Draw.
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The rook with f- and h-pawns vs. rook ending (here on the opposite flank) is a theoretical draw, and Black defended well up to this point, avoiding his king being cut off on the back rank. 1...h1! A switch of angle that enables a future side attack. [ Also possible is 1...c1 2.d6 h1 in the same spirit; e.g. 3.c6 xa6 4.d7 h8! , when neither 5.e8 ( nor 5.c7+ b7 ) 5...h7+ 6.e7 h8 leads anywhere for White. ] [ In contrast, the game went 1...xa6? 2.d7+ a7 3.c6 (now the pawn inevitably reaches the seventh rank, securing the win) d1+ 4.d6 c1 5.d2 h1 6.c7 h7+ 7.c6 h6+ 8.d6 h8 9.d8 and Black resigned. ] 2.d6 h8 Black makes a draw – Baburin; [ e.g. 2...h8 3.d7 h7+ 4.e7 h8 5.c6 xa6 6.c7 b7 . ]
Erenburg,S Ju,E New Jersey [Johan Hellsten]
2008
(Diagramme) Moen,A Ladva,O Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2012
Thanks to his more active pieces White is better, yet the draw isn’t too difficult to achieve. 1...a2! Initiating a side attack, which will be sufficient in the rook and two pawns vs. rook and pawn ending that now emerges.
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[ Another option is 1...h1 2.xc4 f7 with a waiting game; e.g. 3.c7+ f8 4.g4 h2 5.f5 h1 6.g6 h6+! – Baburin ] [ and of course 1...h6 2.xc4 a6 is possible too. ] [ Whereas in the game, Black became too materialistic: 1...c2?? 2.g6 f8 3.xg7 c3 4.c7 c1 5.f5 and had to resign. ] 2.xc4 [ Obviously, 2.g6 no longer makes sense due to a6+ . ] 2...a6 3.f5 b6 4.g4 a6 5.h5 [ Or 5.f4 g6! , swapping pawns with an easy draw. ] 5...b6 6.g5 g6+! A typical trick in such endings, after which the doubled pawns will prove useless. 7.fxg6 b1! In Philidor style. [ Note that, due to White’s extra g-pawn, a passive defence with 7...b8? no longer works: 8.h6 a8 9.c6! b8 10.g7 a8 11.f6 b8 12.f8+ wins. ] 8.c8+ g7 9.c7+ g8 10.g7 h7 . Draw.
Jobava,B Hellsten,J European Team Championship, Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten]
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4.h4 g2 5.a3 g3 6.b3 g1 7.a3 , White draws, since the pawn can’t advance further due to mate. ] 2.f4 A waiting move, being short of better options. [ After 2.e4 xg3 , Black wins easily; e.g. 3.h5 g1 4.a4 g3 5.h4+ g2 etc. ] [ If 2.h5 , he should avoid xg3? ( preferring 2...a5+ and only then the capture on g3 ) 3.g1+ with a draw. ] [ No better is 2.b1 xg3 3.g1+ h3! , when 4.xg4 loses the rook after ( and 4.h1+ runs into g2 ) 4...a5+ 5.f4 a4+ ] [ Finally, 2.g1 fails to h2! . ] 2...a4+ 3.g5 xg3 4.e3+ [ On 4.g1+ , Black again replies h3! ( it is still not too late to err: after 4...f3? 5.h4! g3+ 6.h3 , White draws ) 5.h1+ g2 6.h4 f3 and wins. ] 4...f2 . In view of 5...g3, White resigned.
Sowray,P Berry,M British League [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) (Diagramme) 1...a3! Before taking the pawn Black enables a side check for his rook. [ After 1...xg3? 2.g1+ ] [ or 1...xg3? 2.h1+ g2 3.a1! h2
The rook and pawn vs. rook and pawn ending is usually a draw, but here is an exception. 1.b1! Of course; White initiates a frontal attack in order to push away the enemy king. h8 2.f1+ ! [ But not 2.xb6? a8! , preparing a side
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attack. As Baburin mentions, the existence of a black pawn will help White on some occasions. ] 2...g6 3.e6 h2 The most tenacious. [ The game went 3...b5 4.e7 g7 5.e6 a8 6.g1+ and Black resigned in view of 7 Kf7 next. ] 4.e7 Preparing a bridge. [ Another possibility is 4.e1 h8 5.c6 , with the plan of e6-e7 and Kd7; e.g. a8 6.d7 a7+ 7.d6 a8 8.e7 f7 9.f1+ g7 10.e6 (without the b-pawn this would be a draw) b5 11.g1+ , just like in the game. ] 4...d2+ 5.c6 e2 6.d7 d2+ 7.e8 g7 8.g1+ h7 [ In the rook vs. pawn ending that follows after 8...f6 9.f8 , the black king won’t be able to protect the pawn. ] 9.g4 White wins by means of a bridge; [ e.g. 9.g4 b5 10.f7 f2+ 11.e6 e2+ 12.f6 f2+ 13.e5 e2+ 14.e4 . ]
Sokolov,I Banikas,U Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) Despite appearances this should be a draw, since the black rook controls the edge. However, Black made a fatal decision. 1...e8? It rarely makes sense to put the rook next to the king in the endgame.
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[ The waiting move 1...g7 led to a draw; e. g. 2.e7 ( or 2.e7 f7 ) 2...g6 etc. ] 2.b1! A switch to a frontal attack. Here Black resigned; let’s see a possible conclusion of the game: e7+ [ Or 2...a8 3.e7+ f7 4.f1+ . ] 3.d6 a7 4.b8+ g7 5.e7 . White wins. 1-0
Winawer,S Mackenzie,G London [Johan Hellsten] a
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The black king has been cut off from the d-file, but a frontal attack still secures the draw. 1...b8+! By staying on the back rank, the rook keeps a maximal range.
[ Another drawing option is 1...e6 2.c4 e5! – Baburin. ] [ In contrast, the game saw 1...c6? 2.c4 c8 , and after 3.b5 b8+ 4.c6 b4 5.d7+ e8 6.c5 c4 7.d1 c2 8.b6 e7 9.c6 b2+ 10.c7 e2 11.d7+ e8 12.d5 , Black had to resign. ] 2.a5 e6 3.c4 e5! As we discussed earlier in this section, Black must interfere with White’s defence of the pawn. 4.d5+ e6 5.d1 c8 6.b5 b8+ 7.a6 c8 8.d4 e5! . Draw.
Landa,K Dambacher,M Dutch Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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Popovic,P Schwalfenberg,J German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d3! Preparing a frontal attack, for which the king will be excellently placed behind the enemy pawn. [ Instead, after 1...d5? 2.xh6 , Black is lost; e.g. g8 3.f5 f8+ 4.f6 h8 5.f4 h5+ 6.g6 h4 7.g5! h2 8.a6 etc – Baburin. ] [ Obviously 1...g6?? 2.f5+ would be even worse. ] 2.xh6 g8 3.f6 [ Or 3.f5 f8+ 4.f6 xf6+ 5.xf6 e3 , when the virtue of Black’s king raid is clearly appreciated. ] 3...e2! Tying the enemy pieces to the defence of the pawn. 4.e6+ f2 5.e4 a8 Switching to a side attack. 6.f4 a4+ 7.e5 f3 8.f5 a5+ 9.f6 f4 10.g6
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Black seems to be on the brink to defeat, but a frontal attack could have saved him. 1...h8! To the edge; [ aware that 1...h8 2.xf5?? isn’t possible because of g8+ . ] [ Instead, the game saw 1...g2? 2.e6+ f3 3.xf5 xg3 4.a6! g8 5.a3+ g2 6.e6 and Black resigned. ] 2.e6+ f3 3.xf5 xg3 We have reached a similar situation to the previous example – the stronger side is unable to liberate his pieces. 4.e5 [ Or 4.g6+ f3 5.a6 f8+ 6.g5 g8+! and White can’t make progress. ] 4...g4 5.f5 g5 6.g6+ h5 7.g1 a8! Switching to a side attack. 8.d1 g5 . White can’t make progress: draw – Baburin.
Fressinet,L Kraemer,M German League [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) White’s plan is evident: help the b-pawn with
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Klinova,M Krush,I Dresden Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2008
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his king. The fact that Black’s king has been cut off from the queenside means that only a frontal attack can save him. 1...b8! To the edge, increasing the rook’s range as a preparation for the frontal attack. 2.c3 c8+ 3.b2 b8! 4.e4 White renews the threat of b3-b4, but in so doing leaves the third rank, a fact that Black immediately exploits. f8! 5.e3 [ Obviously, 5.b4 f3 6.b5 xg3 7.b6 f3 is nothing for White. ] 5...b8 6.c3 c8+ In the following Black just continues with his frontal attack. 7.d4 b8 8.c5 c8+ 9.d5 b8 10.c4 c8+ 11.d3 b8 12.e2 b7 13.d3 b8 14.d2 g4 15.e1 b7 16.f2 g5 17.f3 b8 18.c3 f8+ 19.e4 b8 20.d3 g4! It is finally time for some active defence. [ Note that a larger number of pawns actually favours the defender in this case: after 20...h4? 21.gxh4+ xh4 22.c4+ , White wins; e.g. g5 23.c5+! f6 24.c4 e6 25.b4 d7 26.b5 c8 27.b6! etc. ] 21.d4 h3 With the white king unable to step on the c-file due to the check on c8, Black just waits. 22.e5 b4 23.d6 b6+ [ There was nothing wrong with 23...b8 24.c7 b4 25.c6 b8 , but the text is more direct. ] 24.c5 g6! 25.b4 [ Draw, in view of 25.b4 xg3 26.xg3+ xg3 27.b5 h4 etc. ] ½-½
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1...g2! The prelude to a surprising mating attack. [ In contrast, the game went 1...g2+? 2.f1 h2 3.g1 and a draw was soon agreed. ] 2.d7 There is nothing better. b8! Black wins – 'Chess Today'; [ e.g. 2...b8 3.f6 ( or 3.e8 b1+ ) 3...h8 with the inevitable threat of ...Rh1+. ]
Anand,V Vallejo Pons,F Linares [Johan Hellsten]
2005
(Diagramme) In the current position, Black’s problem is that he can’t bring his king out without permitting a white rook check. However, a clever rook manoeuvre could have solved this problem. 1...d2+! The rook is transferred to the seventh rank, to serve as a shield for the king. [ Instead, the game went 1...b1? 2.b8! xh7 and Black accepted a draw without waiting for 3 Rxb3+. ] 2.e1 d7 3.e2 c7 [ Similar winning paths are 3...a7 4.xe3 a2 ] [ and 3...e7 4.d1 ( or 4.e1 e2 with zugzwang ) 4...a7 5.e2 a2
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transferring his king to h3, but Black has a new surprise prepared... c1+!! 8.xc1 . Stalemate. ½-½
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example 175 [Johan Hellsten] a
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– Stohl / 'Chess Today'. ] 4.xe3 c2 . White is helpless against the threat of ...b3-b2.
Titenko,V Murey,J Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.b6+! This lets White take the b-pawn with check. [ 1.xb7? xa4+ was less to the point. ] 1...f7 2.xb7+ e6 3.b6+! Again displacing the enemy king before taking further action. [ There can follow 3.b6+ f7 4.f6+ g7 5.a6 f7 6.d5 and the king helps the apawn to queen. ]
example 176 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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This endgame seems difficult for Black, but a clever rook manoeuvre saved his cause. 1...f8! 2.c7 f2+ 3.e1 d2+ 4.xf2 [ Not 4.d1?? e3! and Black even wins the game. ] 4...d1 5.e6+ [ Or 5.c8 d2+ with a perpetual. ] 5...d3 6.c8 d2+ 7.g1 It seems like White will escape the perpetual by
Again, the kings are opposing each other, albeit horizontally. The same kind of intermediate check helps White to win. 1.b7+! [ The indifferent 1.xf7?? would let the opponent prevail by the same method: d1+! 2.e5 c2 3.b7+ a4 4.c7 c1 5.xc1 xc1 6.f6 gxf6+ 7.gxf6 f1 , and Black wins by one tempo after 8.e6 b5 9.f7 c5 10.e7 d5 11.f8 xf8 12.xf8 e6! . ]
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[ Instead of helping the enemy king into the battle by 1.xf8?! xf8 , White displaces him. ] 1...h8 2.xf8 xf8 3.a4! b8 [ Or 3...a8 4.a6 , winning a pawn. ] 4.xa7 xb2 5.xf7 xa2 6.xf6 c2 7.f7! Another accuracy, cutting off the black king from the seventh rank. [ There followed 7.f7 g8 8.c7 c5 9.h4 h6 10.g2 c4 11.f3 c3 12.h5 h8 13.e3 g8 14.g4 h8 15.f3 c1 16.e4 c2 17.f5 f1 18.xc2 xf3+ 19.g6 and Black resigned. ] 1-0
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1...a3 2.xf7 b2 [ Or 2...c2? 3.c3! . ] 3.b7+! Once more the same trick, forcing the enemy king to a worse square before taking the pawn. c2 4.xg7 White soon wins; [ e.g. 4.xg7 d1+ 5.e5 d2 6.d7+ c1 7.c7 c2 8.g6 d2 9.g7 g1 10.f6 .]
Rubinstein,A Salwe,G Lodz [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is much better thanks to his sounder pawn structure, and things became even easier for him after his next, technical choice. 1.g4+!
Hellsten,J Lazic,M Menton [Johan Hellsten] a
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White appears to be in trouble, but an intermediate check helped to save the game. 1.d6+! Before attacking the b7-pawn, White wants to see where the black king goes. [ Both 1.f7? ] [ and 1.e2? obviously failed to xb4 ] [ while 1.b5? cxb5 2.e2 xc5 3.d3 c4! , cutting off the enemy king, also wins for Black. ] 1...c4 [ After 1...e5 2.b5! White manages an improved version of 1 b5 above, since the black king has moved one file away from the queenside; i.e. cxb5 3.b6 b4 4.e2 d5 5.d3 c4 6.xb7 c3+ 7.d2 xc5 8.c7+! , transposing to a drawn
pawn ending. ] 2.d7 xb4 3.xb7+ xc5 4.e2 c4 [ Or 4...d4 5.b1! and the frontal attack saves a draw; e.g. c4 6.c1+ d5 7.b1 c5 8.d1! . ] 5.d2 h2+ 6.c1 c3 7.b1! To the short side. c5 8.g7 . White soon drew, applying the defence of the long side.
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Tischbierek,R Schneider,I German League [Johan Hellsten] a
Karpov,A Hort,V Tilburg [Johan Hellsten] a
most dangerous of the pawns. ] 1-0
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White plans Rg7-g8, but first it makes sense to displace the enemy king. 1.b7+! [ Less clear is 1.g7 h8 2.e4 c4 , when Black has an extra tempo on the game. ] 1...a6 2.g7 h8 The only defence against 3 Rg8. Now the white king is ready to invade. 3.e4 b5 4.f3! [ Simpler than 4.e5 c4 5.d7 f8! , cutting off the enemy king, at least for the moment. ] 4...c4 5.d7 d3 6.g4 xh7 There is nothing better. 7.xh7 xd4 8.d7+! One more intermediate check to force the enemy king to an inferior square. [ 8.xg5 c5 9.f4! was also possible; ( but not 9.xg6? c4 10.d7+ e3 and Black escapes. )] [ After 8.d7+ , Black resigned, in view of c4 9.f3 , bringing the king towards the
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1.xa7? The most natural move turns out to be a losing one! [ White should have hung on to his advanced passed pawn by 1.f7+ xg4 2.d7 – Baburin. It wouldn’t be easy for Black to make progress here, since if he transfers the king to e6, in order to take the d7-pawn, then the one on g5 becomes undefended. ] [ Even 1.d7 at once seems okay. ] 1...d2+! Perhaps White forgot about this option; [ considering only 1...xd6? 2.a4+ e5 3.e3 with complete equality. ] 2.e1 xd6 3.c7 [ Or 3.a4+ f3 , followed by 4...Rd5, with similar play as later on in the game. ] 3...d5 [ Not 3...xg4? 4.c6 and White escapes. ] 4.c4+ f3 5.b4 d3! Zugzwang: White can’t move his king, and any rook move leaves one of the pawns doomed. 6.c4 b3 . After 7...Rxb5 Black wins easily, so White resigned. 0-1
Svidler,P Bruzon Batista,L Calvia Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g7+! Before approaching with his king, White forces the enemy king to a less fortunate square, thus gaining a vital tempo. [ In contrast, 1.b7? h5 leads to a draw, e. g. 2.c6 h4 3.d5 h3 4.e4 g3 5.e3 g2! ] [ and 1.h7? h5 is similar. ] 1...f4 Moving the king to the h-file would just obstruct the pawn. 2.h7 g5 3.b7 Here Black resigned; let’s see a possible conclusion of the game: h5 4.c6 g4 5.d5 h4 6.e4 g3 7.e3 h3 8.g7+ . White wins. 1-0
Gunina,V Shadrina,T Russian Women's Championship, Gorodets [Johan Hellsten]
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2.xe3 h2 3.f4 c2 4.f5 By now the difference between 1 h6 and 1 g6 is clearly appreciated: the white king is protecting the wrong pawn. d3 5.g6 The best try in practice; [ since after 5.f6 e4 6.g7 f5 7.g6 g2 ( or 7...h1 , Black achieves a draw with less effort. )] 5...h5+! This intermediate check saves Black. [ In contrast, after 5...xh6? 6.g7 h5+ 7.f4 h4+ 8.f3 h3+ 9.g2 , White wins. ] 6.f6 [ Draw agreed, in view of 6.f6 xh6 7.f7 etc. ] ½-½
Hellsten,J Managadze,N Kavala [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) (Diagramme) 1.h6? A logical move to the human eye – White advances her most remote passed pawn – but actually it throws away half a point. [ She could have won by 1.g6 a2+ 2.xe3 g2 3.f4 c2 4.f5 , followed by h5-h6 ] [ or 1.xe3 a3+ 2.f4 and the king eventually hides on h6. ] 1...a2+! The rook switches to a rear attack.
It is clear that Black must soon sacrifice his rook for the d-pawn, but which is the best way to do it? 1...e2+? A fatal decision. Before placing his rook on d2 Black aims to move the enemy king away from the battle, but the effect of this intermediate check is just the opposite! [ 1...d2! at once led to a draw; i.e. 2.d8 xd8 3.xd8 a4 4.d5 a3 5.d4 b3 6.d3 b2 7.b8+ c1 , a variation that
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a key role. Despite the fact that Black’s rook is ideally placed behind the pawn (more about this idea later on in this chapter) White wins rather easily, since he has avoided the worst position for his own rook – in front of the pawn – and defends it from the side. 1.b5 h5 2.e3! Andersson doesn’t bother about losing a pawn or two on the kingside, and focuses on assisting his passed pawn with the king. b2 3.d4 xg2 4.b6 b2 5.c5 c2+ 6.b5 xh2 7.d4! [ 7.d4 enables a bridge in the event of b2+ 8.b4 . ] 7...e2 8.b7 e8 9.c4 g7 10.c8 e1 11.b8 b1+ 12.c4 1-0
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we just saw in Example 181 (Svidler-Bruzón) with reversed flanks. ] 2.f5! d2 3.d8 xd8 4.xd8 a4 5.e4 c3 [ Or 5...a3 6.d3 a2 7.b8+ a3 8.c2! a1+ 9.c3 a2 10.b7 etc. ] 6.a8 b3 7.d3 a3 8.b8+ a2 9.c3 [ In view of 9.c3 a1 10.b3 a2 11.h8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Andersson,U Christiansen,L Hastings [Johan Hellsten] a
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In such rook endings with an extra pawn on the queenside, the location of both rooks play
Herman,MJ Perelshteyn,E Lubbock [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d6! Before pushing the pawn Black should create a bridge on the d-file. [ Instead, the game went 1...e2? 2.a1+ d2 3.a2+ d3 4.a3+ d4 5.a4+ c3 6.a3+ and White’s side attack saved a draw. ] 2.f3 [ Obviously, 2.a1+ made no sense, because of d1 followed by ...e3-e2, when a side attack is no longer available for White. ] 2...e2 3.a1+ d1 4.a2 d3+ 5.g2 d8! A timely switch of angle, creating the threat of 6...Rg8+, followed by ...Kf1. 6.a1+
[ Or 6.f3 f1! , and taking on e2 costs White the rook. ] 6...d2 7.a2+ e3 8.a3+ d3! The bridge. 9.a1 d1 . Black wins.
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Edouard,R Cornette,M French Championship, Belfort [Johan Hellsten] a
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Dunn,A Aloma Vidal,R Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten]
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Without the a-pawn, White would win mechanically by Ra1-d1-d4(d5), creating Lucena’s bridge. whereas here he must proceed with more accuracy. 1.a5! Losing a tempo. [ 1.a8+ d7 2.a6 also does the trick ] [ but 1.a6? d7 leads to mutual zugzwang; e.g. 2.a5 f4 and a bridge on the fifth rank won’t work: 3.g7 g4+ 4.f6 f4+ 5.f5?? xf5+ 6.xf5 e7 . ] 1...d7 2.a6! Zugzwang: if the black rook leaves the g-file then 3 Kg7 with a bridge on the sixth rank decides, while abandoning the fourth rank costs the a-pawn. d8 3.d6+ c7 4.e7 [ Seeing that 4.e7 f4 runs into 5.f6 e4+ 6.e6 with a decisive bridge, Black resigned. ] 1-0
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It is clear that White will have to sacrifice the rook for the b-pawn, but which is the right way to do it? 1.b5? [ The intermediate check 1.c5+! was called for; e.g. b4 ( or 1...d3 2.b5 c4 3.b8 b2 4.e4 with similar play ) 2.c1 b2 3.b1 c3 4.e4! ( king first; in contrast, 4.f5? runs into a4! , decisively cutting the king off ) 4...a1 5.xb2 xb2 6.f5 with a draw – Baburin. ] 1...b2 2.g4 [ Perhaps only at this point White discovered that 2.e4? runs into a4+! 3.e5 b4 . ] 2...a4! The threat of building a bridge on b4 forces White to sacrifices his rook much earlier than desired. 3.xb2 xb2 4.g5 c3 5.f5 d4 6.f6 e5 0-1
Klenburg,M Golod,V Novy Bydzov [Johan Hellsten]
2002
(Diagramme) 1...c2! Heading for b3 in order to control the b2-square. [ Less constructive is 1...c3 2.f8 a5
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3.g7 etc – the correct bridge is on b2, not on c3, where the bishop would obstruct the pawn. ] 2.e2 b3 3.a5 c3 4.d8 b4 5.f6 a3! 6.e5 b2 7.f4 c3 Thus the pawn reaches the second rank, which is enough for the win in the case of a bishop’s pawn, since the c1-a3 diagonal will be too short for the defending bishop. We saw an almost identical case in Averbakh’s study in Chapter One (see Example 5), with reversed colours and flanks. 8.d3 c2 9.g5 e5 10.c1 g7 11.e3 [ Or 11.e2 a2 with similar play. ] 11...b2! 12.c4 b1 The king is ready to support a new bridge on c1. 13.b3 b2 14.f4 c1 15.d6 g5 16.a3 f6 . Being in zugzwang, White resigned. [ By the way, 16...e7 17.b2 f8 was possible as well. ] 0-1
Donner,JH Smyslov,V Havana [Johan Hellsten]
1964
(Diagramme) Sometimes in endings with bishops of the same colour, an extra pawn is insufficient for victory, but here the fact that Black’s d-pawn has made all the way to d3, together with White’s compromised pawn structure (the gpawn would have been better off on g2) makes a win probable. Nevertheless, Black
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has to play very accurately. 1...d4 Intending 2...Ke3, a threat that White hurries to parry. [ The immediate 1...c3 would have failed because of 2.f6+ . ] 2.f2+ c3 Thanks to his clever first move Black is now ready to push ...d3-d2. 3.b6 d2 4.f2 d3 5.b6 f4 [ A bridge with 5...e3 is less efficient due to 6.a5 . ] 6.f2 e5 [ Here, on the other hand, 6...e3!? was quite interesting; e.g. 7.g3 hxg4! 8.hxg4 d4 9.f4 c3 , when both 10.g5 ( and 10.h6 are met by f6 , preparing ...g6-g5 and finishing off White’s waiting moves. Instead, Smyslov plans to build the bridge on d4, so that the king can move instantly to e3 if White declines the exchange of bishops. )] 7.g1 h4! Fixing a favourable structure. [ The immediate 7...d4 is less effective because of 8.h2! , when e3 9.g1+ xf3 10.xd4 leads to a draw – Smyslov. ] 8.f2 c3 [ Again 8...d4 is premature due to 9.xh4 e3 10.g5+ xf3 11.xd2 g3 12.e2 xh3 13.f3 etc. ] 9.g1 [ After 9.xh4 e3 , Black's king invades decisively ] [ while 9.f4 e4 10.f5 g5 11.e2 d4! 12.xd4 xd4 13.xd2 f6 also wins for him – Smyslov. ] 9...d4! After some careful calculation of the ensuing pawn ending, Black finally builds his bridge. 10.xd4
[ In the event of 10.h2 e3 11.g1+ xf3! 12.xd4 g3 , Black wins by one tempo; e.g. 13.xd2 xh3 14.f2 g5 15.e3 g2! 16.xg5 h3 17.f4 h2 18.xh2 xh2 19.e3 g3 – Smyslov. ] 10...xd4 11.xd2 e5 12.e3 g5! Gaining the opposition. [ After 12...g5 13.e2 f4 14.f2 f6 , the story is repeated, so White resigned. ] 0-1
example 190 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Tal,M Krogius,N Tbilisi [Johan Hellsten] a
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In order to win this position White must prevent the transfer of the enemy king to the eor d-file. 1.e1! Cutting the king off. [ Other winning tries are useless; e.g. 1.a1? e7 2.a7+ d8 ] [ or 1.c5? e7 2.d5 d7 in Philidor style, with a draw. ] 1...a6 [ After 1...h8 the frontal attack comes one move too late: 2.c6 c8+ 3.d7 and the advance of the d-pawn decides. ] 2.c5 a5+ 3.c6 a6+ 4.b5 The black rook has run out of space for its side attack. d6 5.c5 a6 6.d5 . White wins by Lucena’s bridge in the end.
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1.e5! Before advancing his pawn Tal cuts off the enemy king. [ In contrast, after 1.f4? d6 2.e5 c8! , Black draws by a frontal attack. ] 1...d6 2.e8! Another accuracy, in order to interfere with Black’s frontal attack. [ The natural 2.e1? only draws after c8! 3.f4 g8+ 4.h5 f8 5.g5 g8+ 6.h6 f8 7.e4 d5! , a scenario that we are already familiar with from the first section of this chapter. ] 2...d7 3.e1 c8 4.f4 g8+ 5.h5 f8 6.g5 Here Black resigned, but let’s see a possible continuation: g8+ 7.h6 f8 8.e4! The merit of 2 Re8! becomes evident: Black no longer has ...Kd5 at his disposal. d6 9.g7 f5 10.g6 f8 11.f5 . White wins. 1-0
Zhukova,N Pogonina,N European Women's Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) For anybody familiar with the method of cutting off the king, White’s next move is no surprise.
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1.d6! [ The h5-pawn should wait – after 1.xh5? c7 , the black king gets sufficiently close; e. g. 2.e6 d7 3.e1 g2 4.h6 g3 5.h5 g2 6.h7 g3 7.h6 g2 8.h8 g3 9.h7 g2 10.a1 e7 11.a8 f7 with a draw. ] 1...c7 2.d1 g2+ 3.xh5 g3 Interestingly, now both kings are cut off. 4.h6 g4 5.h5 g2 6.h7 g5 7.h6 g2 8.h8 g6 9.h7 g2 Many years ago, Levenfish and Smyslov analysed such positions and concluded that with the defender’s king cut off by four files (as in this case), the position is won. 10.a1! Preparing a bridge on g8. d7 11.a8 e7 [ Or 11...e6 12.g8 h2 13.g7 g2+ 14.f8 f2+ 15.e8 b2 16.g6+ f5 17.f6+! and wins – Levenfish/Smyslov. ] 12.g8 f2 13.g7 g2+ 14.h6 h2+ 15.g6 [ In view of 15.g6 g2+ 16.f5 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Gashimov,V Jakovenko,D FIDE Grand Prix, Elista [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) Of course having one’s king cut off doesn’t mean automatic defeat. Here Black is in trouble, yet by precise defence, and by
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applying the same theme himself, he managed to save a draw. 1...e6! Heading for e7 in order to control the d8-square. [ Other moves fail; e.g. 1...g8? 2.c4 ] [ or 1...h4? 2.d8! (with the threat of c5-c6c7) h1 3.c4 and Lucena’s bridge decides in the end. ] 2.c6 e7 3.d7+ [ Or 3.c7 g8 and the pawn soon falls. ] 3...e8! [ But not 3...e6? 4.d8! g7 5.c4 and White wins – Baburin. ] 4.d3 e7 [ White can’t make progress, and the game ended in a draw after 4...e7 5.c7 g8 6.d8 xd8 7.cxd8+ xd8 . ] ½-½
Galliamova,A Hou Yifan FIDE Grand Prix, Kazan [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) 2008
With a healthy extra pawn and more active pieces, Black is winning. Hou Yifan found the most technical path to victory. 1...e7! Cutting off the enemy king, which means that the white rook will have to defend against the d-pawn on its own. [ 1...-- ] 2.f4 d4 3.g5 c5 4.f4 d3 The rest is easy – White is not even close to creating
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threats on the kingside. 5.f5 d7 6.b1 d2 7.d1 c4 8.f6 d3 9.h6 e2 10.xd2+ xd2 0-1
Safarli,E Melkumyan,H Dubai [Johan Hellsten]
Dorfman,J Vallejo Pons,F Mondariz [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
2000
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1...h5 Short of better options, Vallejo looks for counterplay on the opposite flank. 2.d5! Complicating Black’s further advance, who is now obliged to move his king away from the cpawn. f4 3.c5 b1+ [ Or 3...g1 4.c6 xg2 5.c7 c2 6.c5 and wins – Ribli. ] 4.c4 g4 5.hxg4 hxg4 6.d3! Again the rook restricts the movements of the enemy king. Now everything is ready for the advance of the passed pawn. e5 7.e3+! A clever intermediate check to force away the black king from the passed pawn. f4 8.b3 d1 [ Or 8...c1+ 9.c3! with a decisive bridge. ] 9.g3+ e4 10.c6 d6 11.b5 d5+ 12.a6 [ In view of 12.a6 c5 13.b7 , followed by c6-c7, Black resigned. ] 1-0
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White has an extra pawn but Black is quite active. From this point, Dorfman shows an exemplary handling of the rook. 1.d2! Before advancing the passed pawn, it makes sense to cut off the enemy king. [ 1.c5?! would be less technical: d5 2.d2+ c6 3.d6+ c7 4.h6 b1+ and Black keeps some counterplay. ]
Thanks to his more active rook Black is better here, but things could change if White manages to activate his king. With his next move, Melkumyan addresses the issue. 1...g2! Cutting off the enemy king. 2.f3 [ I would have considered the active 2.g3 , when c2 3.g4! xc4+ 4.f5 , intending Rb3-b7, yields White some compensation for the pawn. ] 2...e6 3.e3+ f5 4.h5
[ Or 4.d3 e4 5.d5 f5! 6.xc5 f4 with similar play as in the game. ] 4...g8 5.f3+?! Safarli defends against the mating threat, but also helps the black king to a better square. [ It seems that 5.h6! , preparing h4-h5, was his last chance for counterplay. ] 5...e5 6.d3 f5! Activity is everything in rook endings. [ The passive 6...c8? would permit 7.d5+ e4 8.g6! and the white king is finally back in business. ] 7.d5+ e4 8.xc5 f4 White’s cut-off king renders him helpless against the f-pawn. 9.xa5 f3 10.a7 f8! Ruling out any rook sacrifices for the pawn. 11.e7+ [ Or 11.b7 f2 12.b1 h8+! , followed by ...Rg8-g1. ] 11...f5! With the double threat of 12...Rh8 mate and 12...f2. 12.h6 f2 13.g7 f6 0-1
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Keres,P Alekhine,A AVRO Tournament, The Netherlands [Johan Hellsten] a
Gligoric,S Matanovic,A Bled [Johan Hellsten] a
[ On 3...a5 White could consider the prophylactic 4.e2! , just like in the game; e. g. a4 ( or 4...f5 5.c4 a4+ 6.c5 etc ) 5.d5 h5 6.e4! (the bridge) a2 7.d6 a6 8.d4 a8 9.d7 d8 10.e4 and the outside passed pawn takes its toll. ] 4.e2! Before initiating the advance of the king and d-pawn, White secures the g2-pawn. h4 5.c4 a5 6.d5 Black is short of a good plan, so the rest is easy for Gligoric. f7 7.d6 a8 8.d5 a3 9.d7 d3+ 10.c6 c3+ 11.b7 b3+ 12.c8 c3+ 13.d8 . Preparing Rf2+ and Rf4 with Lucena’s bridge, so Black resigned. 1-0
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White has a clear material advantage here, and could win in different ways. Gligoric found a technical path to victory, based on the method of cutting the king off. 1.cxf5! xf5 2.xg4+ f6 3.e4! This is it – in similar fashion to Example 194 (Galliamova-Hou Yifan), Black is not allowed to use his king in the defence against the dpawn. h5
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Both sides possess connected passed pawns but White’s are more advanced; besides, he has the move, so he should be winning. 1.c6 e7 [ Or 1...c2 2.b5 c5 3.b4! , when the threat of b5-b6-b7 cannot be parried. ] 2.d4! Cutting off the black king. [ In contrast, the game went 2.b5? b2 3.c4 d8 , heading for c7, and Alekhine later made a draw without much effort. ] 2...c2 [ After 2...b2 3.d3 b1 4.c2 a1 5.c7 a8 6.b5 ] [ or 2...h3+ 3.d2! h2+ 4.c3 h1 5.b5 , it is equally impossible for the black
rook alone to withstand the enemy pawns. ] 3.b5 c5 4.b4! The rook behind the passed pawn, just as we saw in the 1...Rc2 subline above. d8 5.b6 c8 The king finally arrives on the queenside, but it is too late. 6.b7+ b8 7.b6 f5 [ Black can’t prevent White’s next with 7...a5 because of 8.c7+ . ] 8.a6 c7 9.a8 b5 10.c8+ . White wins.
Piasetski,L Manolache,M Neustadt an der Weinstrasse [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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2...h5 3.e3 [ As a result of Black’s clever first move, 3.c8 no longer made sense due to xh4 4.h8+ g3 etc. ] 3...f6! A final accuracy, cutting off the enemy king before taking the pawn. [ 3...xh4? 4.f2 would be a draw. ] [ After 3...f6 , Black wins quickly; e.g. 4.c1 xh4 5.h1+ g3 6.g1+ h3 7.h1+ g2 8.h8 g3 , followed by Lucena’s bridge. ] 0-1
Kuzubov,Y Van Beek,A European Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten] a
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With the white king on g2 this would be a draw, but with his following, accurate play Black will never let that happen. 1...h4! An advance that liberates the g-pawn. [ The game actually went 1...e6+? A) 2.f4? f6+ 3.e4 h4! 4.gxh4 h5 and White resigned – we will come back to this kind of position in the main line. ( 4...-- ); B) However, White could have drawn by the study-like 2.d3! h4 3.c4! h3 ( or 3...h5 4.c5+ ) 4.xg4+ h7 5.a4 – Baburin. ] [ As for the tempting 1...f6? , White has 2.c8! preparing a rear attack, when f3 is met by 3.c6+ f7 4.h6 , simplifying to a draw. ] 2.gxh4 [ Or 2.e3 f6! with similar play; ( but not 2...h3? 3.c8! , preparing a rear attack. )]
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A rook ending with three pawns against two on the same flank is often drawn, but here White’s winning chances are increased by the bad location of the black king, cut off along the seventh rank. Moreover, the g6-pawn is weak – as Baburin observed, Black would much have preferred to have the h-pawn on h7 and the king on g8. 1...b2 Active defence. [ On 1...b6 White has the strong 2.d7! , preparing Rd6; e.g. e8 ( or 2...a6 3.d6 a2 4.xg6 xf2 5.f6+! – Baburin ) 3.d6 b2 4.xg6 xf2 5.h4 , when Black lacks a satisfactory defence of the h5-pawn, e.g. f7 6.g5 f3 7.f5+ . ] 2.f4 b3 3.f6! A key move that produces double threats at a8 and g6. b6+ [ Or 3...e8 4.g4 xh3 5.g5 f3 6.a4
with an easy win. ] 4.g5 g8 5.g4 hxg4 6.hxg4 Now the impact of Black’s cut-off king on the battle is evident. If we imagine his king on g7 instead and the rooks changing places, then 6...Ra5+ would have held comfortably. Here, in contrast, he is doomed to passive defence. c6 7.h6! With the threat of 8 Rg7+. f6 8.a4 [ But not 8.g7+ h8! , when 9.xg6? xf4 leads to a draw. ] 8...f7 [ After 8...b6 9.g5 c6 10.a7 f8 ( or 10...c4 11.xg6 xf4 12.a8+ ) 11.f5! gxf5+ 12.g6 c8 13.h7 , White wins. ] 9.g5 b6 10.h7 An ideal place for the king once the g-pawn becomes a passed pawn. c6 11.a7+ f8 12.a5 f7 13.f5! gxf5 14.xf5+ 1-0
Van Wely,L Giri,A Dutch Championship, Eindhoven [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...b5 [ Obviously, 1...fxg6 runs into 2.c7 , followed by 3 b7, when the b-pawn costs Black a rook due to the bad position of his king. ] 2.gxf7+ g7 3.c3 The rest is easy – Black can’t prevent the invasion of the enemy king, since his rook must stay on the b-file. d5 [ Nothing is changed after 3...f8 4.c4 , as explained in the previous note. ] 4.d4 f8 5.e5 g7 6.e6 1-0
Van Beek,L Michielsen,J Dutch Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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Van Wely found a clever way of realizing his passed pawn. 1.g6! Simplest; [ although 1.d7!? also worked; e.g. b5 2.b7 g7 3.c3 g6 ( or 3...d5 4.d4 g6 5.e5 with similar play ) 4.c4 b1 5.d5 and wins – Baburin. Let’s prolong this line: xg5 6.c6 f5 7.d8 f4 8.b8 xb8 9.xb8 f3 10.d5! g4 11.e4 etc. ]
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1.d7+ White of course hurries to seize the seventh rank, an ideal working area for the rook in most endgames. c8? Thus Black keeps the material balance but, more importantly, leaves his king horribly placed. [ Correct was 1...b6! 2.xf3 xf3 3.d4 g5 4.xh7 g3 5.e4 xg4 with good drawing chances – Baburin. ] 2.xf3 xf3 3.xg7 xe3+ 4.c4 a5 In Baburin’s words: “Despite material equality and limited pawn material, White should be winning here as he has various targets to attack, while the enemy king is too passive.” 5.g5! e5 [ After 5...h3 6.c5 xb3 7.xh7 we have reached a similar scenario as in the previous example: the position of Black’s king makes the enemy passed pawn
even stronger. ] 6.d4 d5+ 7.e4 d7? Another bad decision – White’s active king makes the pawn ending winning for him. [ The last chance was 7...d8 8.f4 d4+ 9.e5 d5+ – Baburin, who indicates that White should win anyway after 10.e6! c8 11.f6 d6+ 12.f5 d5+ 13.g4 d4+ 14.h5 d3 15.xh7 h3+ 16.g6 xb3 17.g7 . ] 8.xd7 xd7 9.d4 [ Another good option was 9.f5! e7 10.e5 f7 11.d4 g6 12.b4! – Baburin. ] 9...d6 10.c4 d7 11.b4! Creating an outside passed pawn. axb4 12.xb4 d6 13.a5 c7 14.c5 b7 15.a6+ xa6 16.xc6 1-0
Bareev,E Lalic,B World Team Championship, Lucerne [Johan Hellsten] a
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[ while cutting off the king vertically by 1.f5? would fail on this occasion due to e6 2.f4 ( or 2.g5 g8+ with a frontal attack ) 2...e5! and White can’t make progress. ] 1...e6 2.h5 f8 3.g5 f5 4.g6 e6 5.g5 [ 5.g7 , preparing Kg6, was even faster – Bareev. ] 5...f1 6.a7 h1 7.g7 g1+ 8.h6 f6 9.h7 h1+ 10.g8 g1 [ Or 10...b1 11.a2! with a decisive switch of angle; e.g. g6 12.g2+ f6 13.h2 – Bareev. ] 11.f8 1-0
Gligoric,S Popovic,P Novi Sad [Johan Hellsten]
1997
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We have already seen in several examples that in rook and pawn vs. rook endings, the knight’s pawn becomes very powerful when the defender’s king isn’t able to reach its ideal place in front of the pawn. Thus White’s strategy is clear here. 1.h7! Before advancing the pawn, Bareev cuts the enemy king off along the seventh rank. [ The immediate 1.g5? would only draw after e4+! 2.g3 e6 ]
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White has a slight material advantage, but the knight isn’t particularly strong in such a pawn structure, so he should proceed with some care. 1.c6! Cutting off Black’s king, which means that the queenside pawns become much less of a concern. g6 [ After 1...e7+ 2.d2 e6 3.c7+! e7 4.xe7+ xe7 5.d3 e6 6.d4 , White should win without major efforts, thanks to his centralized king. ] 2.c2 g4 [ Unfortunately for Black, if he advances his queenside pawns these soon turn into
targets; e.g. 2...b5 3.a6! , with Ra5 and Nb4-c6 as a future plan. ] 3.e3 d4 4.g3! Fixing the enemy kingside pawns as future targets. g5 5.c7 a4 6.g7+ h5 7.d5 [ There could follow 7.d5 f5 8.f4+ h6 9.g6+ h7 10.f6 a5 11.e3 g7 ( or 11...c5 12.f7+ ) 12.h5+ h7 13.f4 , followed by Rxf5, and the knight takes care of the queenside pawns. ] 1-0
Caruana,F Anand,V Sao Paulo/Bilbao [Johan Hellsten] a
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for waiting tactics. 8.g2 e3 9.h3 e4 10.g4 e1 By now it is clear that the unfortunate location of White’s rook makes any progress impossible. 11.f8+ g7 12.e8 f6 13.e7 g7! 14.h4 ½-½
Ding Liren Zhou Jianchao Chinese Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
2012
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This position looks difficult for Black, but Anand defended resourcefully. 1...c3! Cutting off the enemy king, while enabling a rear attack on the white e- and fpawns. 2.e6 [ After 2.xh4 e3 , the pawn is recovered at once, since 3.f6+?! g6 makes no sense for White. ] 2...fxe6 3.fxe6 f8 4.xh4 e3! Initiating a rear attack before the white rook returns to e4. 5.h8+ g7! Forcing the enemy rook to its worst possible angle – in front of the pawn. [ After the alternative 5...e7? 6.h6 , followed by g2-g3, Kh3 etc, the white king would later be able to reach the g6-square, in contrast to the game. ] 6.e8 f6 7.g3 e4! Aware that the e-pawn is poisoned (both here and later), Black opts
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Clearly, White is much better, but Black could have transposed into a drawn rook vs. pawn ending, had he proceeded carefully. 1...h5? Even super grandmasters occasionally miss basic endgame methods. [ After 1...f6! , Black holds; e.g. 2.b6 a2 3.b1 g5 4.c6 h5 5.c7 a8 ( but not 5...c2? 6.b5+! with a decisive bridge on c5 next ) 6.b7 h8 7.c8 xc8 8.xc8 h4 etc. ] 2.e5! A key move, which cuts off the enemy king. From now on, any rook vs. pawn ending will be winning. g6 [ After 2...f6 3.xh5 e7 4.b6 , both the black king and rook needed to switch flanks, in order to draw by the defence of the long side. ] 3.b6 a8 4.c6 The rest is easy. b8+ 5.a7 h8 6.c7 h4 7.b7 f6 [ Or 7...h3 8.c8 xc8 9.xc8 h2 10.e1 .] 8.c5 [ After 8.c5 g6 9.c8 xc8 10.xc8! , Black loses the pawn if he advances it,
and there is not much else to do. Zhou resigned. ] 1-0
Atalik,S Mastrovasilis,A Athens [Johan Hellsten] a
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11.c4! , White wins – Atalik. ( 11.b8 works as well. )] 3...b5? Returning the favour. [ Here 3...c5! was correct, advancing the king first, as in the previous example. After 4.g6 ( or 4.c3+ d4! 5.b3 c5 6.b1 b5 7.c1+ b4 8.h8 xg7 9.xg7 a3 etc ) 4...xg7+ 5.xg7 b5 6.f6 b4 7.e5 c4 , White’s pieces are too badly placed to make victory possible. ] 4.f5! Cutting the enemy king off. b4 [ After the more tenacious 4...b6 , White still wins: 5.h8 xg7 6.xg7 a5 7.f6 b4 8.e5 c4 9.e4 b4 10.f8! c3 11.e3 b3 12.c8+ etc – Atalik. ] 5.h8 [ In view of 5.h8 d8+ 6.g8 xg8+ 7.xg8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Lasker,Em Rubinstein,A St Petersburg [Johan Hellsten]
1914
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Again the rook vs. pawn ending is around the corner, and both players should prepare carefully for it. 1.h7 Quite a natural move; [ but 1.b5! was a swifter route to victory, applying in advance the method of cutting off the king: c6 2.f5 b5 3.h7 b6 ( or 3...b4 4.g7 and, as we already know, Black’s king has been fatally sidelined from the battle ) 4.g7 d7 5.h8 xg7 6.xg7 a5 7.f6 b4 8.e5 c4 9.f4+ c3 10.d5 – Atalik. ] 1...c6 2.g7 d7 3.f3? By now Atalik probably wanted to apply the method that we are investigating, but it no longer works. [ The obvious 3.h8? also fails after d8+ 4.g8 xg8+ 5.xg8 b5 6.f7 c5 7.e6 c4 8.b1 b4 9.e5 c3 with a quick draw. ] [ Instead, 3.c3+! was correct, displacing the enemy king before queening. Black has to obstruct his own pawn with b5 ( since the desired 3...d5 fails to 4.d3+ ) , and after 4.h8 d8+ 5.g8 xg8+ 6.xg8 a4 ( or 6...b4 7.c8! b5 8.f7 a3 9.e6 b4 10.d5 b3 11.c4 ) 7.f7 b5 8.e6 b4 9.c8! b3 10.d5 b2
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The white rook is ideally placed behind the passed f-pawn, so Lasker starts pushing it. 1.f5! gxf5 2.gxf5 f6 3.f4! Seizing the fourth rank. b4 4.b3 Black is now short of solid moves. Note that this is a consequence of his rook being awkwardly positioned in front of the passed pawn – he would very much have liked the two rooks to change places. f7 This lets the passed pawn advance one step further; [ but 4...b5 5.d4 c6 6.e5
was equally bad for Black. ] 5.f6 d6 6.d4 e6 7.f2! Preparing a decisive switch of angle. d6 [ After 7...xf6 8.xf6+ xf6 9.xd5 , followed by Kc4xb4-a5, White obviously wins. ] 8.a2! c7 [ Or 8...xf6 9.a6+ , transposing to the previous note. ] 9.a6+ d7 10.b6 . In this desperate position, Black resigned. 1-0
Capablanca,JR Marshall,F St Petersburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here is a similar case. Anybody with basic endgame skills should find White’s first move here! 1.a3! The rook behind the passed pawn. [ Obviously, 1.a6? a4 would let Black achieve the same thing, with increased drawing chances. ] 1...b7 2.a6 a7 3.a5! A move similar to Lasker’s 3 Rf4 in the previous example. Black’s king is now restricted, and the rest is easy. f6 4.g4 e7 5.g3 d6 6.f4 c7 7.e5 d7 [ Or 7...b6 8.a1 g7 9.a7! and the gpawn decides. ] 8.g5 e7 9.g6 f8 10.xe6 e8 11.g7 xg7 12.a7 g6+ 13.f5 1-0
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Berg,E Bellon Lopez,J Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten]
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White’s plan is rather obvious: advance his queenside pawns with the help of his king, while the rook should be sacrificed for the gpawn at the right moment. 1...f2+? This check just helps White improve his king. [ 1...g5! was correct, placing the rook behind the passed pawn. There could follow 2.g3 g6 3.d3 f5 4.a4 e5! (the king should be used in the battle against the enemy pawns) 5.e3 g8 6.b5 d5 7.f4 a8 8.a3 c5 9.xg4 b4 10.a1 a5 11.f5 e8 with a theoretical draw – Hecht, now that the pawns have been confidently blocked. ] 2.b3 g6 3.a4 f5 4.a5 e4 [ After 4...f3 5.c4 xd3 6.xd3 f4 7.a6 , only White queens. ] 5.d8! Unlike his opponent four moves ago, Berg pays attention to the idea of placing the rook behind the passed pawn. [ In contrast, 5.c3? f3! would eventually lead to a queen and pawn vs. queen ending. ] 5...f3+ 6.a4 f1 7.g8 g1 [ Or 7...f3 8.a6 g3 9.b5 g2 10.a7 a1 11.b6 f2 12.b5 g1 13.xg1 xg1 14.b7 and White wins. ] 8.b5 . Unable to parry the looming advance of the white pawns, Black resigned. 1-0
Vasquez Schroder,R Hellsten,J Santiago [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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This example is extracted from my book 'Play the Sicilian Kan'. If it was White to move, then 1 Rc7+, followed by Kg3 and Ra7, placing the rook in its optimum place behind the passed pawn, would probably suffice for a draw, despite the two pawn deficit. However, in the game it was Black’s turn, and by a simple rook manoeuvre it was he who managed to put a rook on a7. 1...f4+! 2.g3 [ On 2.e3 , Black can proceed as in the game: f5 3.c7+ f7 4.c5 a7 5.a5 f7 6.d4 e6 . Now if 7.c5 , preventing the black king’s walk to b6, then d7! , starting actions on the opposite flank; e.g. 8.xa6+ f5 9.a5 f4 10.c6 d1 , followed by Rh1-h5, winning the g5-pawn. ] 2...f5 Gaining a tempo. [ The immediate 2...f7 should work too; e. g. 3.a5 a7 4.f4 f7 5.e5 e7 with similar play to the previous note. ] 3.c7+ f7 4.c5 a7 Black has completed the rook manoeuvre and should now activate his king. 5.a5 f7 Heading for b6. [ Of course 5...h6? would be completely counter-productive: 6.gxh6+ xh6 7.h4 g7 8.g4 f6 9.f4 and White holds. As usually occurs, pawn exchanges favour the defending side. ] 6.f4 e6 7.e4 d6 8.d4 c6 9.c4 b6 10.e5 f7 [ Avoiding the trap 10...a5? 11.e6+ b7
12.e7+ b8 13.e8+ with a draw. ] 11.b3 [ Or 11.e6+ a5 12.e5+ a4 , followed by 13...Rc7+. ] 11...f3+ 12.b4 [ After 12.c4 f4+ 13.b3 f5 , Black wins in similar fashion. ] 12...a5+ 13.a4 f4+ 14.b3 f5 Here, Black needs the pawn exchange in order to create a second passed pawn. 15.e7 xg5 16.xh7 c5 The king is now directed to the more useful g-pawn. 17.d7 The white rook prevents that idea, but it can’t stay on the d-file for long. g4 18.c3 [ Or 18.a7 a4+ 19.a3 d5 20.a5+ e4! 21.xa4+ f3 with an easy win. ] 18...g3+ 19.c2 a4 20.b2 g5 21.d8 g4 22.d7 f3 23.g7 a3+ 24.a2 g3 25.d7 c4 26.d8 d3 27.g8 c3 28.g7 d2 0-1
Barhudarian,R Rozentalis,E Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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Material is equal, but strategically Black is much better as he possesses an outside passed pawn (without rooks on the board, this factor would indeed be decisive) and, just as important, his rook is ideally placed behind it. 1.d5+? White follows the principle “Passed pawns should advance!”, but in this case the pawn will just become exposed on d5. Furhoff
outlines a better plan: 1) fight for the kingside space with h2-h4; 2) take the e4-square from Black’s king by f2-f3; 3) try to assign the blocking task on the a-file to the king, so that the rook can be used actively. [ A possible variation: 1.h4! f6 2.f3 (apart from controlling the e4-square, this also enables a future g2-g4 in order to exchange pawns; besides, it makes sense to place the kingside pawns on different ranks, so that their future liquidation by the black rook takes more time) f5 3.c3 b5 ( or 3...d5 4.d3 f4 5.c3 , continuing the waiting game ) 4.c4 a4 5.c5+ b6 6.b2! a3+ 7.a2 (now that the white rook has been liberated, it is ready to create disorder in the enemy camp) d8 8.c4 b5 9.c5+ b4 10.c6 xd4 11.b6+! ( a clever intermediate check, avoiding 11.xg6?! d2+ and the white king becomes cut off from the second rank ) 11...c3 12.xg6 xh4 13.xa3 with chances for a draw – Furhoff. ] 1...d6 2.d4 h4! A useful move that grabs some space and makes the h-pawn more powerful in a potential passed pawn race. 3.f4 f6 4.h3 a7! Such a zugzwang method is typical when the stronger side has managed to place his rook behind the passed pawn. 5.e4 [ Obviously, any rook move, such as 5.a1 , runs into a4 . ] 5...c5 6.f5 g5! Avoiding pawn exchanges and limiting the enemy king. Now again White finds himself short of a solid move. 7.d4 e7+ 8.d3 d7 9.e4 e7+ 10.d3 d6! The d-pawn is neutralized once and for all. 11.c4 [ Or 11.a4 e5 12.xa5 xd5+! 13.xd5+ xd5 and Black wins thanks to his favourable pawn structure; e.g. 14.e3 e5 15.f2 xf5 16.f3 e5 17.e3 f5 18.f3 d4 19.f2 e4 20.e2 f4 21.f2 f3! 22.gxf3+ f4 23.g2 e3 – Furhoff. ] 11...xd5 12.d4+ c5 13.c4+ b5 14.c8 e5 . Seeing that he’ll lose a second pawn, White resigned. 0-1
Lipnitsky,I Smyslov,V USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1952
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With White to move, 1 Ra3 would be very strong, but Smyslov will never let that happen. 1...c1+! 2.e2 a1 The rook goes behind the passed pawn. 3.d4 [ Or 3.d8+ f7 4.a8 g6 with similar play as in the game, but with the white rook less efficiently located in front of the pawn. Generally speaking, if the rook can’t be placed behind the pawn, then the side angle is the lesser evil. ] 3...a3! Cutting the enemy king off from the third rank, while eyeing the weak g3-pawn. If we compare this endgame to Example 184 (Andersson-Christiansen), here White’s chances are reduced by two factors: 1) the a4pawn is more remote to the white king than Andersson’s b5-pawn; 2) Lipnitsky’s pawn structure is more vulnerable to an invasion by the black king. 4.d2 f7 There is no hurry to take the g3-pawn. 5.c2 [ Incidentally, had White prevented Black's next move by 5.h5 , then after e6 6.c2 xg3 7.b2 g5! , Black achieves counterplay anyway – Smyslov. ] 5...g6! Active defence; the king will be instrumental in Black’s kingside play. 6.b2 xg3 7.a5 h5! Thus Black doesn’t just attack the h-pawn, he also prepares the defensive manoeuvre ...Rg6-a6. 8.a6 g6 9.a7 [ Or 9.a4 b6+ 10.c3 b8 11.a7 a8 12.d4 xh4 13.e5 g4 14.a1 g6
and White can’t really make progress without jeopardizing the full point – Smyslov. ] 9...a6 10.d7 g6! [ Black avoids getting his king cut off after 10...xh4 11.xg7 . ] 11.xh7+ g4 12.b3 a1 13.b4 xf4 14.b5 g3 Black has managed to organize sufficient counterplay, and the rest is easy. 15.b6 f4 16.h5 gxh5 17.xh5 f3 18.g5+ h2 19.a5 xa5 20.xa5 f2 21.a8 f1 ½-½
Grischuk,A Anand,V World Championship, Mexico City [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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4.a5 e1+ 5.d4 f4 6.a6 a1 7.c5 xf3 8.b6 ( if 8.a7 , then f4 9.d6 a6+ 10.e7 f6 etc ) 8...xg4 9.g8+ f4 10.a7 h5 and the h-pawn saves a draw. ] 2...a1 3.a4 g6 4.d5 a3 A good place for the rook, where it targets both of White’s unprotected pawns. 5.c6 [ Or 5.f4 f5! 6.gxf5+ xf5 7.c4 h5 and Black holds – Grivas. ] 5...xf3 6.a5 f5! A key move, which creates a passed pawn on the h-file. 7.a6 a3 8.gxf5+ [ After 8.b5 fxg4 9.xg4+ f5 , similar play occurs; e.g. 10.a4 b3+ 11.c6 b8 12.a7 a8 13.b7 xa7+ 14.xa7 h5 with a draw – Grivas. ] 8...xf5 9.b6 h5 By now it is clear that Black has managed to create sufficient counterplay on the kingside. 10.b5+ [ Or 10.a7 xa7! (a bridge with Rb5-a5 had to be avoided) 11.xa7 g5 12.b6 h4 with similar play. ] 10...g4 11.a5 f3 12.a7 f8 13.a8 xa8 14.xa8 h4 15.c5 h3 16.d4 h2 17.h8 g3 18.e3 g2 19.g8+ f1 20.h8 g1 21.xh2 xh2 ½-½
Riazantsev,A Dvoirys,S Cheliabinsk [Johan Hellsten]
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Black is seemingly in big danger, but Anand survived by transferring his rook to the back of the passed pawn. 1...h1! [ Black shouldn’t play 1...h5? , as after 2.e3 hxg4 3.xg4! , a symmetric kingside pawn structure arises, which means he is lost – Anand. This thesis is easy to understand, since contrary to an asymmetric structure (e.g. pawns on g4 and f7), Black can’t easily swap off those pawns, nor create a passed pawn. ] 2.b4 Grischuk opts for protecting the pawn from the side. [ In the event of 2.a8 , Black could play a1 as in the game; e.g. 3.a4 ( or 3.f4 e1+ 4.d5 g1! 5.g8 a1 etc ) 3...g5
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2007
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Black’s rook is ideally placed on a2; unfortunately, his king has moved away from
the “safety zone” on g7-h7, a fact that White immediately exploits. 1.a7! Such an advance would make little sense if Black’s king was on g7 or h7, but here Riazantsev has seen that he will soon be able to deliver a decisive rook check. a1 2.f3! Clearing the way for the e-pawn. exf3+ 3.xf3 f1+ 4.g2 a1 5.f2! White first improves his king; [ seeing that 5.e4+?! f4! 6.e5 a2+ would create unnecessary complications. ] 5...a4 6.f3 a3 The only defence against 7 e4+, but not for long. 7.e2 a1 [ Or 7...a2+ 8.d3 , approaching the enemy rook. ] 8.e4+! With no mating threat or perpetual to worry about, the time is right for this key move. f4 Obviously, other replies run into a rook check. 9.e5! Insisting on the exposure of Black’s king. a2+ 10.d1 a1+ 11.c2 [ In view of 11.c2 fxe5 ( 11...xe5 12.e8+; or 11...f5 12.e6 ) 12.f8+ , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Gurevich,M Glek,I Vlissingen [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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1...d2 Black hurries to tie the enemy rook to the pawn, and prepares ...Ra2 whenever White moves the a-pawn. 2.g2 [ The space-gaining 2.g4!? was interesting as well, preventing Black from an ideal kingside structure with pawns on h5, g6 and
f7. ] 2...h5 3.a4 [ Obviously, White does not benefit from the pawn trade after 3.xh5 xa2 ] [ but 3.f3 was also interesting, getting the king a bit closer to the a-pawn. ] 3...a2 4.h4 g6 5.a8+ g7 6.a5 White’s main plan is the transfer of his king to the opposite flank, but first he advances the apawn to a6, since time will be a big issue once Black initiates his kingside counterplay. a3 7.a6 f6 8.f1 a2 9.g1 f5 In similar style to Example 213 (LipnitskySmyslov), Black brings his king as close as possible to the white kingside pawns. 10.g2 a3 11.a7! f6! [ Gurevich’s last move was an astute try in practice, in the sense that if Black continued his kingside offensive with 11...f6? , then White could change plans decisively with 12.a8 g4 13.a7! – Gurevich. In similar spirit to the previous example, the black king is now far away from the “safety zone” on g7-h7, and any active attempt would expose it to a rook check; e.g. g5? ( passive defence is equally insufficient, e.g. 13...f5 14.f3 a2+ 15.f1 and the white king walks all the way to h6, after which Rb8b5+ and Kxg6 decides, which actually occurred in some games, such as W. Unzicker-E.Lundin, Amsterdam Olympiad 1954; or 13...a2 14.f8 xa7 15.xf6 with mate ) 14.hxg5 fxg5 15.f3+ . ] 12.f1 a2 13.e1 g7?! Having seen the rest of the game, this seems like the loss of a vital tempo. [ After 13...e6 it is not clear how White should continue; e.g. 14.d1?! xf2 15.c7 a2 16.a7 f6 17.c1 f5 18.b1 a6 with much better chances of a draw than in the game. ] 14.d1! Evidently, White can’t make progress without sacrificing a kingside pawn. f6 [ After 14...xf2 15.c7 a2 16.a7 f6 17.c1 A) and 17...f5 18.b1 , it transpires that Black has no adequate square for his rook; e.g. a4 ( or 18...a5? 19.c5+!; while 18...a6 19.xf7+ g4? is met by 20.g7! , intending xg3 21.xg6+ – Gurevich ) 19.xf7+ g4 20.f4+! .; B) Gurevich suggests 17...e6 18.b1 a5 19.c2 f5 20.b3 d6 as a better option, although after 21.b4 a1 22.g7 , Black is still a long way from the
draw. ] 15.c1 xf2 16.b1!? [ 16.c7 a2 17.a7 was possible, transposing to the previous note, but Gurevich goes for more. ] 16...f5 [ Gurevich gave 16...f3?! 17.b2 xg3 18.xf7+ xf7 19.a7 as winning for White, although after g2+ 20.b3 g3+ 21.b4 g4+ 22.b5 xh4 23.a8 f4 , it is actually a draw according to Nalimov’s tablebases. Nevertheless, I suspect that Black’s task remains difficult in practice. ] 17.c7 White finally switches to a better angle for his rook. b5+? This just helps the white king to approach the a-pawn. [ Correct was 17...a5 18.a7 e6 , transposing to 14...Rxf2 above; ( but not 18...f5? 19.c5+! – Gurevich. Such a deflecting check is the reason why the c-file is better than the b-file for the white rook here, so that Black’s recapture doesn’t come with check. )] 18.c2 a5 19.a7 f5 20.b3! Preparing a bridge on a4, which would force Black to sacrifice his rook for the a-pawn much earlier than desired; i.e. when the white king is still rather close to the kingside. [ In contrast, after the obvious 20.xf7+?! g4 , followed by ...Kxg3, Black’s drawing chances are improved. ] 20...g4 [ Or 20...a1 21.xf7+ g4 22.f4+! xg3 23.a4 and wins – Gurevich. ] 21.c4+ xg3 22.a4 xa7 23.xa7 xh4 24.c3! King first; [ after 24.xf7? g3 , the h-pawn saves Black. ] 24...g3 25.d2 g5 [ Or 25...h4 26.e1 g2 27.a2+ g1 28.a4 etc – Gurevich. ] 26.xf7 h4 27.e2 g4 28.f1 h2 29.f2+ h1 30.f4 h3 31.f2 h2 32.e4 1-0
Kamsky,G Karpov,A Linares [Johan Hellsten]
1994
(Diagramme)
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1.g6! Preparing a side attack, the correct angle in this particular rook ending, so as to prevent the black king from hiding on a2. [ The natural 1.a6? would lose after d3 2.a8 c3 3.f2 a3 4.a7 ( or 4.e2 a2 5.f2 h1 etc ) 4...b3 5.b7+ a2 6.e2 b1 7.a7 b2 8.b7+ a1 9.a7 a2 , followed by 10...Kb2 – a position we already came across in Example 192 (Zhukova-Pogonina), with reversed colours and flanks. ] 1...e3 [ In contrast, the black rook can’t improve its angle; e.g. 1...b1? 2.g4+ . ] 2.g4! Tying the enemy rook to the pawn. [ Placing the rook on the third rank is a bad idea: 2.g3+?! d2 3.f3? ( White could still draw by 3.g4 a3 4.g3 c2 5.f3 a2 6.f2+ etc ) 3...e1 , followed by 4...Re4, Kc2-b2 etc. ] 2...a3 3.g3+ e4 [ If the black king approaches by 3...d2 , then 4.f3 c2 5.h2 b2 6.f2+ again prevents the liberation of the enemy rook. ] 4.b3 a2+ [ 4...a2 5.a3 ] [ or 4...d4 5.f3 are draws. ] 5.g3 d4 6.f3 a1 7.g2! . Preventing the check on g1. Unable to make progress, Black agreed to a draw.
Gulko,B Dvoretsky,M USSR Championship, Yerevan [Johan Hellsten] a
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1975
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Tadic,B Miladinovic,I Serbian Championship, Pancevo [Johan Hellsten]
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2006
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Thanks to his powerful outside passed pawn White is clearly better here, but Black could have made considerable resistance had he considered the idea that we are examining. 1...f4! Heading for a4 in order to control the passed pawn from the back. [ In contrast, the game went 1...e2? 2.a6 xe3 3.b8+ e7 4.b7+! and Black resigned, in view of 5 a7 next. ] 2.b5 [ Other attempts are less promising; e.g. 2.a6 a4 ] [ or 2.b4 xb4! ] [ while 2.b3 can be met by f2! and the rook reaches the a-file anyway. ] 2...e7! [ But not 2...e4?! 3.d1 e1 4.c3 c4 5.b4! a1 6.a4 with excellent winning chances – Dvoretsky. ] 3.xc5 b4 4.d1 [ Black is also okay after 4.c2 d6! , preparing ...Ra4 ] [ or 4.a6 a4 5.c7+ d6 6.a7 c5 , followed by ...Kb6. ] 4...d6 5.c3 a4 6.a3 xa3 7.bxa3 c5 8.c3 f5 . Intending g7-g5, ...Bc8 and ... Kc4, with good chances for a draw – Dvoretsky.
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In material terms White’s advantage should be decisive, but the far-advanced d-pawn is a matter of concern. 1.b8! Heading for d8, in order to control the pawn from behind. [ Instead, the game went 1.b3? d2 2.e2 a4 3.xd2 and a draw was agreed, in view of xb3 4.axb3+ xb3 . ] 1...d5 [ Or 1...e4 2.e1 c3 3.c8+ b2 4.a4 b3 5.d2 a5 6.c3+ b4 7.xd3! and wins – Müller. Let’s make a few more moves: xd3 8.xd3 xa4 9.c4 a3 10.e4 b2 11.e5 ( but not 11.b5? b3! on the king’s route theme, with a draw ) 11...a4 12.e6 a3 13.e7 a2 14.e8 a1 15.e2+ with a quick mate after a3 16.d3+ b2 17.d2+ b1 18.b3 etc. ] 2.d8 a5 [ Obviously, 2...d2? failed to 3.e2 . ] 3.e1 f7 4.d2 White wins; [ e.g. 4.d2 b4 5.d4+ a3 6.xd3+ xa2 7.c3 a3 8.d4 – Müller. ]
Botvinnik,M Zuidema,C Amsterdam [Johan Hellsten] a
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1966
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Again White has a material advantage, but Black’s connected passed pawns must be dealt with correctly. 1.a7+! Heading for c7, where the rook will control the enemy passed pawns, while participating in the battle for the opposite flank as well. f8 [ The desirable 1...f6? failed to 2.d7 . ] 2.c7 c3 3.e2 h6 4.d3 d4 5.g4 Having neutralized the enemy pawns, White is now ready to create a passed pawn of his own on the kingside. f6 [ 5...g5! 6.f5 f6 was more tenacious – Botvinnik, who also suggests the improvement 2 g4 (or 3 g4), followed by g4g5, thus eliminating this defensive possibility. ] 6.h4! Gaining space while facilitating the creation of a passed pawn. g8 [ After 6...xh4? 7.xd4 f6+ 8.d5! , the entrance of White’s king decides. ] 7.e4 g7 8.g5 hxg5 9.hxg5 f8 10.d3 [ Since 10.f5?! gxf5+ 11.xf5? would run into d3 , Botvinnik instead prepares a zugzwang. ] 10...g8 11.c6 f7 12.e4! Unfortunately for Black, he is now short of a solid move. h8 13.c7+ g8 14.c8+ h7 15.f5! This advance works here, due to the awkward position of Black’s king and bishop. gxf5+ [ Or 15...d3 16.xd3 gxf5 17.g6+! g7 18.xc3 and White wins comfortably thanks
to the badly placed bishop on h8 – Botvinnik. ] 16.xf5 g7 [ Again 16...d3 is of no avail: 17.g6+ h6 ( or 17...g7 18.xc3 ) 18.xh8+ g7 19.h7+ g8 20.c7 d2 21.f6 with mate. ] 17.e8! A clever switch of angle to create a mating threat on the h-file. d3 [ Or 17...c2 18.g6+ h6 19.e2! with similar play. ] [ 17...h8 is equally insufficient due to 18.g6+ g7 19.c8! and the pawns fall by themselves. ] 18.g6+ h6 19.e3! d4 [ After 19...e5 20.xe5 g7 (there was the threat of Re7-h7) 21.e7+ g8 22.f6 , White gives mate. ] 20.xd3 c2 21.h3+! The rook again heads for c7 in order to control the passed pawn from behind. g7 22.h7+ [ Black resigned. Let’s see a possible conclusion: 22.h7+ g8 23.c7 b2 24.xc2 d4 25.c7 b2 26.g7! h7 ( 26...xg7 27.g6 comes to the same thing ) 27.f7! c3 ( or 27...xg7 28.g5 with similar play ) 28.g8+ xg8 29.g6 d4 30.d7 c5 31.d8+ f8 32.e8 . But note that if all the pieces are moved one file to the left (i.e. Ke5, Rb7 and Pf6 vs. Kf8 and Ba2) it is a theoretical draw, a fact that we will come back to in the last example of this book. ] 1-0
Leko,P Anand,V Linares [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) White has reached a dream position: his rook protects the two most exposed of his pawns, and it can’t be expelled from f5. Thus the king can be used exclusively for active duties, and this is where Leko takes the game with his next move. 1.g2! e1 [ Or 1...a4 2.f3 a2+ 3.f1 and the king reaches the opposite corner of the board sooner or later. ] 2.f3 Now all White’s pawns are confidently
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protected. e6 3.f2 f8 Black cuts the white king off from the e-file, but not for long. 4.b5 g7 [ Or 4...e7 5.b7+ , followed by 6 Rb6, with similar play. ] 5.f5 [ Leko also suggests a switch of angle with 5.b3!? a6 6.a3 . There could follow f6 7.e3 e5 8.d3 d5 9.a1! c5 10.e4 b5 11.b1+! c5 12.b6 and wins. ] 5...f8 6.c5 Losing a tempo. g7 7.b5 f8 8.b6! Just at the right moment, so that Black will have to lose a tempo protecting the h6-pawn later on. e5 9.a6 g7 10.a7 a5 11.b7 The rest is easy. a3 12.e2 f6 13.d2 e6 14.c2 f6 15.b2 a4 16.b3 a1 17.b4 d6 18.h7 e5 19.b5 a2 20.b6 . The king has finally reached the a-pawn, and now 21 Rh8 is a threat. Black’s rook checks can be parried by Kc7-b8, followed by Rb7, so he resigned. 1-0
with the rook, Black assures that his king can take an active part in the battle. [ In the game I played 1...g6? instead, and after 2.a7 d5 3.g3 f6 ( or 3...g7 4.a8! f6 5.a7 , restricting the black king ) 4.f3 f5 5.a6 , things got more complex, with White later saving a draw. ] [ However, 1...f8 2.a7 e8 3.f3 f5! was possible as well, with similar play as in the main line. ] 2.g3 f8 Heading for the opposite corner of the board. 3.a7 e8 4.h4 h5 Fixing an ideal structure, where all the pawns are confidently protected. 5.f3 d8 [ Of course not 5...e5? 6.e4 xf4+ 7.xe5 and White should make a draw. Generally speaking, when the pawn structure on the board favours you, don’t alter it. ] 6.e4 c8 7.e7 b8 The rest is easy. 8.d7 a4 9.d3 a5! 10.a3 b7 . Black soon wins by approaching with his king. The f4-f5 advance can be simply ignored.
Norri,J Hellsten,J Hallsberg [Johan Hellsten]
Smyslov,V Forintos,G Monte Carlo [Johan Hellsten]
1991
(Diagramme) Young players often fail in the endgame phase, and I myself some twenty years ago was no exception. 1...f5! By protecting the sensitive f7-pawn
1968
(Diagramme) White has an extra pawn, but how to progress? Smyslov found an excellent rook manoeuvre to leave his pawns with better protection.
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Morovic Fernandez,I Gulko,B New York Open [Johan Hellsten]
1988
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1.d3! b1+ 2.b3 h1 3.f3 h6 4.f5 That’s it – now the king acquires more mobility. d6 5.d5+ c6 6.f5 d6 7.f3! Avoiding future checks on the third rank. g6 [ Or 7...e6 8.d5 h3 9.f4 f3 10.c5 xf4 11.d6+ e7 12.xa6 d7 13.a7+! c8 14.a6 and the poor location of the black king decides. ] 8.b3! [ The immediate 8.c3 would permit h6 9.d4 h4+ , intending 10.f4?! e6 . With the text, White aims at moving the king to d4 with Black’s rook on g6 instead of h6, thus avoiding the check on the fourth rank. ] 8...h6 9.c3 c6 [ Black was in zugzwang; e.g. 9...e6 10.d5 h1 11.b4! a1 12.d3 e5 13.a3 b1+ 14.c5 ] [ or 9...g6 10.d4 h6 11.d5+ c6 12.e4 h4+ 13.f4 , followed by Kf5, in both cases with a win for White – Smyslov. ] 10.d4 g6 [ Or 10...h4+ 11.f4 h6 12.e4 , transposing. ] 11.f4 h6 12.e4 g6 [ After 12...d6 13.d5+ e6 14.f5+! e7 15.d4 , the king enters decisively at c5 – Smyslov. ] 13.h5 The threat of Kf5 spells the end for Black. g1 14.h6 e1+ 15.f5 a1 16.xf6+ b7 17.b6+ A useful intermediate check to displace the enemy king. a7 18.e6 xa5+ 19.g6 c5 20.f5 xc4 21.f6 g4+ 22.f5 g1 23.f7 1-0
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As we saw in the previous section, rook endings of this type offer reasonable chances for a draw, although Black’s case is improved here by the fact that his rook is not obliged to protect the a-pawn from the front, but can use the side angle. 1.a8 [ 1.d6! was preferable – Gulko, so that after a5 2.a6 b5 3.f3 , Black’s king is rendered less active than in the game. ] 1...b6 2.g3? A natural move, but one that lets Black carry out the “rook defends pawns” idea. [ For this reason, 2.g4! was correct – Gulko. ] 2...h5! Black aims at a structure with pawns at f5-g6-h5 which, together with the rook on the sixth rank, would leave all his pawns protected. 3.g2 f6 4.a7 e6 5.f3 e5! 6.e7+ [ Unfortunately for White, after 6.xf7 f6+ , the outside passed pawn decides in the pawn ending. ] 6...e6 7.a7 f5 Black’s plan is completed, and he can now use his king for active purposes. 8.a8?! [ 8.e3 d5+ 9.d3 was more tenacious, when Black would have to proceed with some subtlety: c6! 10.a8 d6! 11.a7 ( or 11.d4 c7 12.d5 b7 13.g8 a5 and White loses control of the a-pawn ) 11...c5! 12.b7 b6 13.a7 b4
and wins – Gulko. ] 8...d5 9.f4 c5 10.f3 White correctly prepares actions on the kingside, but Black is already quite fast on the opposite flank. b5 11.g5 a5 12.g4 fxg4 13.fxg4 hxg4 14.xg4 a4 15.g5 a6! A timely bridge, exploiting the fact that only Black would queen in the pawn ending. 16.b8+ a5 17.e8 a3 18.e2 b4 19.f2 b3 20.f3+ c4 21.f4+ d5 22.f1 a2 23.a1 c4 24.c1+ [ Or 24.xa2 xa2 25.xg6 g2+! in similar fashion to the game; ( though the slower 25...d5 works as well. )] 24...d3 25.a1 c3 26.xa2 xa2 27.xg6 g2+! An essential intermediate check. [ In view of 27...g2+ 28.f6 h2 29.g5 d4 30.h5 e5 etc, White resigned. ] 0-1
Lerner,K Mikhalchishin,A USSR [Johan Hellsten] a
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1979
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Salwe,G Rubinstein,A Carlsbad [Johan Hellsten] a
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Material is about even, but White’s following rook transfer decided the battle. 1.e5! Heading for e7 in order to seize the seventh rank with both rooks. e8 [ Or 1...xb2 2.e7 c8 3.h7+ with similar consequences as in the game. ] 2.ee7 xa5 [ If 2...xh5 3.h7+ g8 4.xh5 , White emerges two pawns up in the ending. ]
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3.h7+ g8 4.cg7+ f8 5.h6! . In view of the imminent mate, Black resigned. 1-0
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Black controls the only open file and is now ready to use it for an invasion. 1...d2! 2.bb2 Logically enough, White keeps the crucial second rank under control. xc2 3.xc2 d3! In the endgame, the reduced number of pieces often makes the third rank a possible working area for the rook. Note that this move becomes more efficient once one pair of rooks have left the board, since White will have more difficulties in protecting his pawns. 4.b2 Defending against the threat of 4...Rb3. [ Instead, 4.c3? permitted d2! 5.e3 b2 with the double threat of 6...Rxb4 and 6...Nf4 ] [ while the active 4.b5!? is well met by a3! 5.b6 c5 6.d2 d4 . ] 4...c7 A useful move, whereas White can hardly undertake anything. 5.c5 d7 6.g3? [ 6.c1 d1 7.e2 was more tenacious, when Black could keep the pressure by d4 , intending 8.xd4 exd4 and ...Ke6-e5. ] 6...hxg3+ 7.hxg3 g4! A strong pawn break that soon causes a collapse of White’s position. 8.g1 [ Or 8.fxg4 g5 , recovering the pawn at once. ]
8...g5 9.e2 a3 10.f4 Paramount to suicide, but White was short of good options anyway. xe4 11.fxe5 fxe5 12.f1 xg3+ 13.g2 h5 14.f2 f4+ 15.h1 a1 16.d2+ e7 0-1
Karpov,A Uhlmann,W Madrid [Johan Hellsten] a
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1973
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the f7-pawn. [ 7.e8?! c1+ 8.f2 c2+ was less convincing. ] 7...g6 8.f4! c1+ 9.f2 c2+ 10.e3 e4 [ Or 10...e6+ 11.xe6 fxe6 12.xb6 and wins – Karpov. ] 11.xf7 g6 12.g5 h7 13.fe7! Preparing Be8. [ 13.e8! at once was also strong ] [ but not 13.f5?! xg5 14.f6 f5 . ] 13...xb2 14.e8 b3+ 15.e2 b2+ 16.e1 d6 [ Or 16...b1+ 17.d2 b2+ 18.c3 c2+ 19.b3 etc – Karpov. ] 17.xg7+ h8 18.ge7 . Black resigned – seeing that, when his checks are over, the retreat of White’s bishop will produce decisive mating threats. 1-0
Petrosian,TV Balashov,Y USSR Championship, Leningrad [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black is about to seize the second rank by ... Rc2, but it is White to move, and he now exploits the e-file in order to seize the seventh rank. 1.f3! g6 2.e7! b6?! [ Probably 2...c2 was better, although after 3.ae1 h6 4.1e2!? xe2 5.xe2 b6 6.c7 , followed by Kf2, White keeps some pressure. ] 3.ae1 h6 [ With 3...c2?? obviously failing to 4.e8+ , Black has to spend a tempo on yet another pawn move. ] 4.b7! The rook vacates e7 to its colleague with tempo. d6 [ Or 4...c2 5.ee7 , when both xb2 ( and 5...f8 6.f4! ) 6.e8! let White keep a strong initiative. ] 5.ee7 h5 [ This time 5...c2 permits 6.e8+ h7 7.bb8! , increasing the pressure – Karpov. ] 6.gxh5 xh5 7.g4! The next step in White’s plan is to advance his kingside pawns to deflect the enemy bishop from the defence of
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In this double rook ending Black had pinned his hopes on the trade of the queenside pawns, thus reaching a structure with four pawns vs. three on the kingside. However, Petrosian had other plans. 1.d1! Heading for d7. xa3 2.g3 a8? Underestimating the danger on the seventh rank. [ By 2...a6! 3.dd7?! ( instead, White should prefer 3.c1 a4 4.c7 exc4
5.xc5 , transposing to the abovementioned ending ) 3...f6 Black could have defended the f7-pawn in a more active way – Tal. ] 3.dd7! f8 4.bc7 xc4 5.g2 Material is even, but White is much better thanks to his pressure along the seventh rank and the passive enemy rook on f8. Next, his plan is to advance e3-e4-e5-e6, creating a mating motif if the black king remains on the back rank. h5 6.h3 g7 7.f3 f6 8.h4 g7 9.e7! Facilitating the advance of the epawn. f6 10.e4 d4 11.e5+ f5 [ 11...g7? would run into 12.e6 . ] 12.xc5 The endgame with four vs. three on the kingside is finally reached, but in quite an unusual version where Black is still suffering from the pressure at f7. Besides, the double pair of rooks means that his king is exposed to mating motifs. d3+ 13.g2 a3 14.c6 Heading for f6. [ Equally interesting was 14.c4!? g5 (mate was threatened) 15.hxg5 xg5 16.f4 g6 17.f6+ g7 18.h3 , followed by f2-f4 and Kh4. ] 14...e4 15.f6 aa8 16.e6! [ Not 16.fxf7? xf7 17.xf7 xe5 . ] 16...e5 [ Obviously, 16...fxe6? 17.exe6+ would lead to the loss of the g6-pawn. ] 17.fxf7 g8 18.b7!? An interesting choice – Petrosian abandons the e-pawn in exchange for a positional advantage: a cut-off enemy king. [ 18.g7? xg7 19.xg7 f6 was less to the point ] [ though by 18.f4+!? d6 19.g7 , White could improve that variation, with excellent winning chances; e.g. ab8 20.b7! a8 ( or 20...xe6 21.xg6+ ) 21.xg8 xg8 22.e7 , followed by Kf3-e4. ] 18...xe6 19.be7+ d6 20.e2 af8 21.a7 a8 22.ae7 ac8 23.2e6+ Preparing a curious, but strong plan: Kh3, f2f4, Ra6 and Ree6 with a decisive attack at g6. d5 24.h3 c7? A grave error in a difficult position. 25.xg6! . Seeing that he will end up two pawns down, Black resigned. 1-0
Grigorian,L Tal,M USSR Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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1967
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Black is better, both in material and positional terms – in particular, his outside passed pawn has a huge impact on the battle. However, the automatic 1...a5?! would permit 2 Ra2, followed by Ke2, with some chances of survival for White. Tal comes up with a much stronger idea. 1...b4! With the threat of 2...Rbb1, tying the white rook to the defence of the knight, which would make the advance of the a-pawn more powerful. 2.c2 White is forced to swap rooks, an exchange that rarely favours the side with the minor pieces in similar endgames. Somehow the absence of the rook is more strongly felt in the camp of the minor pieces, as there is no other piece doing the things that rooks do, in contrast to the opponent who has another rook left on the board. xc2 3.xc2 b2 An excellent place for the rook. [ Obviously, 3...b1+?! 4.e2 would only help White to activate his king. ] 4.d1 a5 Finally, the time is right to move the passed pawn forward. 5.e2 [ Worse is 5.e3?! b4 6.e2 a4 , when the a-pawn has already become rather dangerous. ] 5...a4 6.d3 b3+ 7.c4 Grigorian has managed to control the a-pawn, at the cost of leaving the opposite flank somewhat abandoned, a fact that Tal exploits with his next move. b1! 8.e2 g1 9.f3? [ 9.g3? was equally bad due to g2 ]
[ but 9.e3 was more tenacious, when Black could try b1 10.c2 e5 , followed by ...f7-f5 and ...Kf6, with excellent winning chances now that the white king remains cut off from the a-pawn. ] 9...f1! Winning a pawn, which makes Black’s further task rather simple. 10.d3 xf2 11.e4 e5 12.e3 f6 13.d3 b6! Again cutting off the white king, while preparing ...f7-f5. 14.c3 f5 15.d5 b1 . Here White resigned. Let’s see a possible conclusion: 16.c6 g1 17.g3 e4! 18.xa4 g2 19.e3 xh2 20.f1 f2 21.b5 f6 22.d4 h5 , intending ...g6-g5 and ...h5-h4. 0-1
Dutreeuw,M Hellsten,J European Team Championship, Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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5.g4 h4# ] [ or 3.f3? g2 4.xg5 exg3+! 5.xf4 xg5 . ] 3...g2! Another tactical shot – one that creates a powerful passed pawn. 4.xe3 fxe3 5.f3 c2! [ Seeing 5...e2?! would permit 6.c5 g1 7.d3 , Black first restricts the knight on a4. ] [ Another good option was 5...d2!? , intending 6.c5 xb2 7.xa6 xa2 8.xb4 a4 . ] 6.b3 [ Or 6.b6 e2 7.d5+ g6 8.b3 d2! 9.xb4 d4+! and wins. ] 6...e2 7.b6 d2! The rook again! Now the knight on b6 is denied the d5-square, and the rest is easy. 8.h3 d3 9.e1 d1 10.f3 f5 11.g4+ f4 12.g2 e1 13.xe1 xe1 14.d5+ xg4 15.xb4 [ White resigned, without waiting for 15.xb4 a5 16.d3 e2+ 17.f1 xa2 etc. ] 0-1
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Here is a more tactical example. Thanks to his better co-ordinated forces Black has the advantage, but things could change if White is allowed to activate his knights. 1...c2! Seizing the second rank. [ Less to the point was 1...f3+? 2.g3! . ] 2.g3 [ On most other moves, such as 2.d1 , Black would play e3 anyway. ] 2...e3! ! [ Of course not 2...g2?? 3.f3 . ] [ I considered 2...f3+? as well, but after 3.xf3 e5 4.f2 , there is no mate. ] 3.f3 The only move; [ in view of 3.gxf4? g2+ 4.h5 h2+
Matanovic,A Larsen,B Portoroz Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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1958
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White is the exchange up, but Black has managed some kind of fortress, with protected squares at b5 and e4 for his knight, and annoying pressure on the d4-pawn. 1.e1 With the threat of 2 Re5. [ Less is promised by 1.f1?! e7 . ] 1...d6 2.b5! A key advance, in order to clear
new space for the rook. [ Nothing is achieved after 2.e5 f5 . ] 2...axb5 [ Both 2...xb5 3.e5 ] [ and 2...a5 3.b6! , followed by Ra1, win for White. ] 3.a1! The most natural follow-up; [ though 3.c3 , heading for b4, looked interesting too. ] 3...h4 Trying to swap pawns. [ In the event of a passive defence with 3...b4 4.a8 c8 , White wins by 5.e3 , preparing f2-f4; e.g. c7 6.h4! gxh4 7.gxh4 d6 8.f8! (so as to meet ...Nf5 with Rxf5 at any moment) d7 9.f4 e7 10.h8 f5 11.e5 xh4 12.h7+! d8 13.xe6 and the d-pawn decides. ] 4.gxh4 [ After 4.g4?! b4 5.a8 e4 , Black’s defence is made easier. ] 4...gxh4 5.a8 b4 6.a4?! [ More direct was 6.f8! f5 7.f7+ c6 8.h3! b6 9.xf5 with similar play. ] 6...c7 7.e2 [ Matanovic notes that 7.xb4?? b5! would leave his rook fatally trapped. ] 7...c6 8.a8 f5 9.d3 d7 10.b8! A useful intermediate move, to draw the black king one step away from the kingside. c7 11.f8! Preparing a sacrifice on f5 at the right moment. d6 12.f7 b6 13.h3! Creating a zugzwang. [ The immediate 13.xf5? failed to exf5 14.e3 e6 15.f4 f6 16.h3 b5 etc. ] 13...h6 [ Or 13...c6 14.xf5! exf5 15.e3 d6 16.f4 e6 17.g5 and White wins both enemy pawns on the kingside. The text allows the rook settle on f4, thus liberating the king from the defence of the d4-pawn. ] [ As for 13...b5 , White could lose a tempo by 14.b7 c6 15.h7! d6 16.f7 with similar play to the game after g3 17.f4 . ] 14.f4! f5 15.e2 With the simple, but irresistible plan of Kf3-g4 and Rxf5 to create a decisive outside passed pawn. e7 16.f3 f7 17.g4 g6 18.xf5! exf5+ 19.xh4 The rest is easy. b5 20.g3 g5 21.h4+ h5 22.f4 xh4 23.xf5 g3 24.e5 f3 25.xd5 e3 26.c5 d3 27.xb4 1-0
Larsen,B Gligoric,S Lugano [Johan Hellsten] a
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1970
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This is a real “knightmare” ending for White none of his pieces enjoys any real activity, whereas Black has a great knight and possibilities of an exchange sacrifice along the e-file. 1...e5 Creating the threat of 2...Rxf5. 2.d1 [ Unfortunately for White, 2.cc1 runs into d2 . ] 2...xe4! 3.xe4 xe4 With the simple plan of ...Ke5 and ...f7-f5-f4. Meanwhile, the lack of open files for the white rooks is strongly felt. 4.g1 e5 5.f1 f5 6.cc1 [ Or 6.e1 xd5 7.xe4 fxe4 – Larsen. ] 6...f4! This is bound to create a passed pawn, one that will exhaust White’s defences. 7.d3 [ If 7.gxf4+ xf4 8.e1 , then d2+ 9.g1 e2! , with the strong threat of ...g4-g3 ] [ and 7.e1 d2+ 8.g1 e2 is similar. ] 7...fxg3 8.fxg3 e3+ 9.f2 xd5 The rest is easy. 10.e1 xe1 11.xe1 f6 12.c3 e4 13.c6 d4! [ In view of 13...d4 14.xa6 e3 , White resigned. ] 0-1
Back to Contents Page
Chapter Four
Minor Piece Themes One single diagonal Barrier The magic distance Fixing pawns Provocation Blockade The team of bishop and knight
One single diagonal In the endgame, a key function of the bishop is to perform several tasks on a single diagonal, or “the principle of one diagonal” if you prefer. Here are some examples on this topic. Example 233 In contrast, if we move the d3-pawn to f3, then this pawn can no longer be controlled by the bishop, and White wins. Example 234 Example 235 Now let's see this theme being applied in practice. Example 236 D.Mozetic-B.Abramovic, Ada Ciganlija 2002 Here is a similar example with more pawns. Example 237 P.Keres-H.Westerinen, Tallinn 1971 The next example shows the idea of one single diagonal in the hands of the defending side. Example 238 A.Rodriguez Vila-B.Macias Murillo, Quito 2012 Example 239 A.Aaberg-S.Tiviakov, Calvia 2006 Example 240 L.Vajda-K.Asrian, World Junior Championships, Menorca 1996 Here is a final, complex example on the subject of one single diagonal. Example 241 L.Aronian-E.Bacrot, FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2005
Barrier By the term “barrier” I refer to a construction where the team of a knight and a piece that captures diagonally is deployed on squares of the same colour within short distance, in order to restrict the enemy king. Example 242 G.Strutinskaya-O.Chernikov, European Senior Championship, Courmayeur 2011 Example 243
Example 243 J.Vilela-J.Augustin, Prague 1980 Example 244 J.Hellsten-M.Sadler, German League 2001 Example 245 W.Browne-T.V.Petrosian, Las Palmas Interzonal 1982 Thanks to its tactical potential (i.e. forks), the knight can sometimes set up a barrier on its own, as in the next example. Example 246 M.Dvoretsky Here are two more examples of a knight successfully creating a barrier. Example 247 M.Dvoretsky Example 248 M.Tratar-W.Hug, Baden 1999
The magic distance In the endgame, the pieces dominate each other in different ways. For example, a bishop placed at the distance of three squares from a knight severely restricts the movements of the latter. Such a method – placing one of our pieces at a particular distance from an enemy piece – is referred to in this book as the “magic” distance; we already came across it briefly in Chapter Two (Ivkina-Lahno, Tal-Fuchs, and Rotstein-Sundarajan). Here are some further examples. Example 249 Y.Averbakh Example 250 I.Boleslavsky-A.Kotov, Zürich Candidates 1953 When the king fights against a knight, a good location tends to be at the distance of two squares diagonally from it – not so much for restrictive means, as to avoid future checks. Here is a simple example to demonstrate this point. Example 251 Example 252 V.Eingorn-A.Beliavsky, USSR Championship, Kiev 1986 Example 253 Example 254 V.Smyslov-N.Krogius, Moscow 1991 By the way, the magic distance isn't an exclusive endgame subject. Here are two positions from earlier stages of the game, appearing in Mastering Chess Strategy and Mastering Opening Strategy , respectively. Example 255 J.Hellsten-A.Brkljaca (analysis variation), Belgrade 2002 Joe.Benjamin-A.Wagener, US Championship, Seattle 2002
Fixing pawns The idea of fixing an enemy pawn on a specific square holds great importance in the endgame, and we already came across it in several examples, such asAverbakh-Lilienthal (1 g5), Donner-Smyslov (7...h4), Gligoric-Popovic (4 g3), Keres-Westerinen (1 b4), and Boleslavsky-Kotov (3 b4). Often this method is related to the colour of one or more bishops on the board. Let's see some examples, starting with a few bishop endings. Example 256
Example 256 A.Tsvetkov-V.Smyslov, Moscow 1947 Example 257 L.Van Wely-V.Kramnik, European Junior Championships, Arnhem 1990 Example 258 M.Roiz-T.Radjabov, European Cup, Saint Vincent 2005 The idea of fixing pawns remains relevant with rooks accompanying the bishops on the board, as in the next example. Example 259 S.Tiviakov-V.Anand, German League 2012 The idea of fixing pawns can also occur in knight endings. Here is one example of this. Example 260 A.Segal-B.Ivkov, Sao Paulo 1978 Let's see another knight ending, this time with rooks on the board. Example 261 V.Smyslov-La.Karlsson, Las Palmas Interzonal 1982 Example 262 J.Polgar-G.Guseinov, European Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2011 In bishop vs. knight endings, the idea of fixing pawns is a frequent idea for both sides. In hisChessBase comments to the game Sokolov-Sutovsky examined later on in this section, Krasenkow even argued that: “Fixing your rival's pawns on the squares of your bishop, after which they become weak – this is the main strategic principle in the bishop vs. knight endgame!” Let's see some examples. Example 263 W.Uhlmann-R.J.Fischer, Leipzig Olympiad 1960 Example 264 N.Zubarev-Aleksandrov, Moscow 1915 Example 265 A.Alekhine-F.Yates, Hastings 1925/26 Here is a similar example, where the presence of rooks doesn't really help the defender a lot. Example 266 O.Eismont-V.Yandemirov, Russian Team Championship 1998 Usually the opponent's pawn is fixed on the colour of the bishop, as in the previous examples, but not always. Here are two such exceptions. Example 267 V.Smyslov-Derkach, Kiev 1937 Example 268 P.Benko-B.Parma, Belgrade 1964 Example 269 J.Smeets-M.Carlsen, Nice (rapid) 2010 Example 270 I.Sokolov-E.Sutovsky, Hoogeveen 2005 Example 271 A.Dreev-P.Charbonneau, FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2005 In endings with opposite-coloured bishops the idea of fixing pawns is also rather frequent. Interestingly, the enemy
In endings with opposite-coloured bishops the idea of fixing pawns is also rather frequent. Interestingly, the enemy pawns can be fixed on both colours, as seen in the next two examples. Example 272 N.Delgado Ramirez-G.Soppe, Santa Clara 2000 Example 273 R.Cifuentes Parada-K.Langeweg, El Vendrell 1996 Example 274 K.Moberg-J.Hellsten, Gothenburg 1996 When one side possesses the bishop pair in the endgame, the idea of fixing enemy pawns as targets for the bishops is seen rather frequently. Here are a few examples. Example 275 M.Gurevich-C.Sandipan, Gibraltar 2006 Example 276 H.Hamdouchi-E.Bricard, French Championship, Belfort 2010 Example 277 M.Illescas Cordoba-M.Krasenkow, Dos Hermanas 2001 Even in rook endings the idea of fixing pawns appears occasionally. Let's see two examples. Example 278 R.Ris-V.Kotronias, EU Championship, Liverpool 2008 Example 279 E.Alekseev-I.Nepomniachtchi, Havana 2010 Here is a final example on fixing pawns, which shows that the piece favoured by such action can even be the king. Example 280 L.Polugaevsky-M.Tal, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1971
Provocation By provocation I refer to the idea of forcing the opponent to make undesired moves, typically with his pawns. I touched upon the subject from a middlegame perspective inMastering Chess Strategy, and here we will see the role of provocative measures in the final phase of the game. Just like the method of fixing pawns, provocation usually aims at creating weaknesses in the enemy camp, but differently to the former, the action is carried out by the pieces, rather than the pawns. In fact we already came across this idea in a few earlier examples; e.g. Kramnik-Deep Fritz (6 Nc7!) and Gligoric-Filip (1 Kf4!). Example 281 A.Alekhine-M.Euwe, World Championship (2nd matchgame), The Netherlands 1937 Example 282 C.Michel Yunis-J.Hellsten, Santiago 2006 Sometimes, the provocation has the function of forcing enemy pawns to squares of the “wrong” colour, as in the next two examples. Example 283 V.Smyslov-P.Keres, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951 Example 284 A.Karpov-M.Illescas Cordoba, Dos Hermanas 1994 Provocation also becomes an important weapon when possessing the bishop pair, as can be seen in the next, famous example. Example 285
Example 285 M.Botvinnik-D.Bronstein, World Championship (23rd matchgame), Moscow 1951 The knight is another excellent performer of provocation measures. Let's see some examples. Example 286 T.V.Petrosian-B.Ivkov, Bugojno 1982 Example 287 M.Botvinnik-R.Kholmov, Moscow 1969 Example 288 Y.Seirawan-U.Adianto, Jakarta (4th matchgame) 1994 Provocation is a common guest in rook endings as well. Here are some examples. Example 289 A.Rubinstein-E.Cohn, Carlsbad 1907 Example 290 V.Kramnik-J.Polgar, Novgorod 1996 Example 291 V.Smyslov-C.Paglilla, Buenos Aires 1990 Provocative measures with the rook are often seen in other types of endings as well. Here is one example. Example 292 A.Onischuk-V.Salov, Elista 1998 On occasion, provocation can also be realized by the queen, as in the next example. Example 293 J.Hellsten-B.Ostenstad, Asker 1997 So far, the provocative measures were carried out exclusively by the stronger side. The next example shows us that, on occasion, the idea of provocation can also prove useful for the defender. Example 294 N.Minev-M.Djukanovic, Belgrade 1977 Finally, here are a few examples where provocative measures were realized in the presence of more pieces on the board. Example 295 A.Kotov-T.Florian, Moscow vs. Budapest match, Budapest 1949 Example 296 T.V.Petrosian-G.Sax, Tallinn 1979 Example 297 La.Karlsson-Ax.Smith, Stockholm 2006
Blockade The blockade is yet another subject that I investigated quite thoroughly in Mastering Chess Strategy. Typically, the blockade idea consists of placing a piece in front of an enemy pawn, in order to prevent its advance and indirectly restrict its fellow pieces. Here are some examples that illustrate the role of the blockade in the endgame. Example 298 E.Agrest-T.Hillarp Persson, Swedish Championship, Gothenburg 2005 Example 299 A.Yermolinsky-G.Kasparov, Wijk aan Zee 1999
Example 300 E.Berg-T.Ernst, Swedish Championship, Skara 2002 Example 301 R.Ponomariov-V.Korchnoi, Cannes 1998 A different kind of blockade might occur in pawn endings, when a blocked pawn structure makes it impossible for either side to enter with the king. Knowledge of this idea helped the weaker side force a draw in the next example. Example 302 R.Byrne-J.Grefe, US Championship, Oberlin 1975 It is no secret that the typical performer of the blockade is the knight, but occasionally other pieces can take up this task as well. Here are a few examples. Example 303 V.Bologan-I.Miladinovic, Bosnian Team Championship 2008 Example 304 S.Savchenko-L.Couso, European Cup, Kallithea 2002 Finally, let's not forget that the king can sometimes be a formidable blocker. InPolgar-Gashimov (in Chapter Two) we saw how a blockade with the king saved White, despite her being two pawns down in a rook ending; and here is a similar case. Example 305 A.Baburin-H.Nakamura, San Francisco 2002
The team of bishop and knight To round off this chapter, let's see two examples where a bishop and a knight fight successfully against a rook. The first example highlights the power of a passed pawn being supported by the minor pieces, while the second one focuses on their co-ordination. Example 306 L.Kavalek-F.Olafsson, Buenos Aires 1980 Example 307 Kir.Georgiev-N.Mitkov, Skopje 2002 Chapter 5: Queen Themes Back to Contents Page
example 233 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Four pawns almost always triumph against a lonely bishop, but if the latter can control all of them along the same diagonal, then there is hope for salvation. 1...b6 A waiting move. Other bishop moves on the g1-a7 diagonal work as well; [ but not 1...d6? 2.d4 , of course. ] 2.b3 Setting a little trap. [ 2.b4 d6 is less constructive. ] 2...d6! [ Avoiding 2...d4? 3.b4 and White wins; e.g. a7 4.a5 c5 5.d4+! , followed by 6 b6. ] 3.b4 c5+ 4.a5 c7 White can’t make progress; [ e.g. 4...c7 5.b6+ xb6+ 6.b5 e3 7.c5 b8 8.b6 f2 . ]
example 234 [Johan Hellsten]
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overloaded; [ e.g. 3.f4 c5+ 4.a5 c7 5.f5 d4 6.c5 xc5 7.f6 b6+ 8.b4 d6 9.f7 e7 10.c4 xf7 11.d5 , followed by 12 Kc6. ]
example 235 [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) 1...b6 [ Or 1...c5 2.b3 , heading for a5, with similar play. ] 2.b4 [ Another possible move order is 2.f4+ xf4 3.b4 , followed by c4-c5; ( and even 3.c5 xc5 4.c4 with Kd5-c6 to follow leads to the goal. )] 2...d6 3.f4 Black’s defences are soon
Here is a different scenario of the same subject. Material is about equal, but the fact that Black’s bishop can control the enemy queenside pawns and, at the same time, defend his own pawn on d4 makes this an easy win. 1.c4 g7 2.b4 b6! [ Not 2...h6? 3.a5 d3 4.b6 and White
escapes. In contrast, after the text he is helpless against the plan of Kh6xh5-g4 etc. ]
Mozetic,D Abramovic,B Ada Ciganlija [Johan Hellsten] a
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2...f5 [ Or 2...d7 3.a7 d5 4.h5 c7 5.h6 e4 6.h7 . ] 3.a7 d5 4.h5 c6 5.h6 [ Black resigned, seeing that after the continuation 5.h6 g6 6.e1 , he can’t prevent the transfer of the white king to the a-pawn. ] 1-0
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Endings with opposite-coloured bishops often feature the idea of one single diagonal. To start with, White should deal with the threat of 1...d2. 1.e3! An ideal diagonal for the bishop, where it controls the d3-pawn and will protect the own h-pawn later on. [ In contrast, after 1.e3? c4 2.d2 ( or 2.h5? g7 and the h-pawn falls ) 2...g6 , it is Black who carries out the idea of one single diagonal. There can follow 3.e7 h5 4.c3 a6 5.g5 g4 6.b4 d2! 7.xd2 xh4 with a draw – Mozetic. ] 1...e6 Heading for the a-pawn. [ After 1...g6 2.a6 h5 3.a7 d5 4.g5 g4 ( or 4...d2 5.e2! ) 5.e3 , contrary to the previous note, here Black’s bishop can’t control the a-pawn and protect the dpawn at the same time, so he is lost. ] [ As for 1...c4 , after 2.h5 f6 3.h6 , White also wins – Mozetic, by directing his king to the a-pawn. ] 2.a6! Another accurate move, preventing Black’s king from dealing with the a-pawn. [ The natural 2.h5? failed to d2! 3.xd2 d7 , heading for a8, after which Black achieves a theoretical draw by sacrificing the bishop for the h-pawn – Mozetic. ]
Keres,P Westerinen,H Tallinn [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.b4! Fixing a target on a6 for the king. f5 The best diagonal for this bishop. 2.e5 h7?! The king has no real future here. [ 2...f8 3.e3 e7 4.d4 e6 seems more logical, although after 5.f4 xc2 6.h6! (preventing 6...Kf5) g6 7.c5 f5 8.e3 e4 9.d4 , White is much faster; e.g. f5 10.b6 d3 11.xa6 c4 12.a5! f4 13.a4 bxa4 14.xa4 f3 15.b5 and wins. ] 3.f4! A key move: White parries the threat of 3...Kh6 and, for the longer term, installs his bishop on a diagonal where it can defend the h-pawn and control the enemy f-pawn at the same time. Interestingly, the bishop won’t move again in this example! g4 4.h6 f5 5.e3! Keres directs his king to a6, without bothering about the c2-pawn. xc2 6.d4 b1 7.a3 Of course that pawn should stay on the board. a2 8.c5 g6 9.b6 c4 [ Or 9...b3 10.xa6 a4 11.b6 h7
12.c5 and, after the capture on d5, one of the advances c3-c4 and a3-a4 decides. ] 10.xa6 d3 11.a5! Exploiting the last dynamic resource in the position, the a3-a4 advance. f6 12.a4 bxa4 13.xa4 e6 14.a5 [ If 14.a5 d7 , one simple option is 15.b5 , followed by Kb6-c5, after which Black will be unable to defend both flanks. ] 1-0
Rodriguez Vila,A Macias Murillo,B Quito [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black’s position is unpleasant, but salvation was just around the corner. 1...d5! Installing the bishop on a diagonal where it will control both enemy passed pawns. [ Instead, the game went 1...b7? 2.e6! e8 3.f6 c6 4.d5+ c7 5.e7 and, unable to cope with the white pawns, Black resigned. ] 2.e5 [ After 2.e7 b6 3.f6? c6 White even loses, since 4.f7 runs into xf7 5.xf7 d5 . ] 2...g8 3.d6 b6 4.f6 b7 A waiting move, after which White can’t make progress; [ e.g. 4...b7 5.d5 f7 6.e7 xd5 7.f7 xf7 8.xf7 c7 9.e7 c6 10.d8 d6! etc. ]
Aaberg,A Tiviakov,S Calvia [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black is clearly much better, but in order to progress he must solve the problem of his weakness on e6, an issue which Tiviakov dealt with perfectly in the game. 1...b6 2.d7 d4! 3.exd4 d5 It transpires that, on the a2-g8 diagonal, Black’s bishop is confidently defending both of his key pawns. 4.a4 a5 The next step is to invade the enemy camp with the king. 5.d1 b4 6.c2 h6! Good technique – in bishop endings it often makes sense to place one’s pawns on squares of the opposite colour of the bishops. 7.d1 [ Or 7.d3 a1+! 8.xa1 c3 9.f1 d2! , followed by ...Ke1xf2-e3 etc. ] 7...c4 The rest is easy. 8.xa2 xd4+ 9.b2 e4 10.c3 xf4 11.d4 g5 12.hxg5 hxg5 . Seeing that the plan of ...g5g4-g3, followed by ...Kxg3 and ...f5-f4, can’t be parried in any way, White resigned. 0-1
Vajda,L Asrian,K World Junior Championships, Menorca [Johan Hellsten]
1996
(Diagramme) Black is two pawns up, but even so it seems
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inevitable arrival of Black’s king at g1, White resigned. 0-1
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difficult for him to progress. Asrian found an exquisite solution. 1...g5!! 2.hxg6 [ Or 2.e6 f5! , when both 3.xf5 ( and 3.gxf5 f6! ) 3...b2 4.c4 a2 win for Black. There might follow 5.d5 f4 6.e6 b1 7.xb1+ xb1 8.f6 c2 9.g6 d3 10.xh6 e4 with ...Bc1 and ...Kf4 next. ] 2...b2! [ The move order matters: after 2...f5? 3.xb3! xb3 ( or 3...fxg4 4.d1 g3 5.f3 ) 4.gxf5 , White survives – Baburin. ] 3.c2 f5! A second breakthrough which, by the way, is a key method for the attacker in endings with opposite-coloured bishops, as we already discussed in Chapter Two. 4.gxf5 h5 The position has changed drastically – material is even, but Black has managed to create a powerful second passed pawn, while his bishop proves excellently placed on the long diagonal, where it controls both enemy pawns and defends the b-pawn at the same time. 5.e6 [ Obviously, 5.g7 xg7 6.xh5 fails to a2 .] 5...h4 6.b1 f6 7.d5 h3 8.c2 h2 [ 8...h2 creates the threat 9.-- h1 10.xh1 a2 . ] 9.b1 b4 Directing the king to the h-pawn. [ Another good option is 9...g7 10.b7 b3 in the same spirit. ] 10.c6 [ If 10.c2 , then g7! (zugzwang) 11.g2 a3 12.b1 b3 with similar play – Baburin. ] 10...c3 11.h1 d2 . In view of the
Aronian,L Bacrot,E FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk [Johan Hellsten] a
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It is easy to conclude that White’s only chance for a win is to transfer his king to the opposite flank, without losing the f-pawn in the process. In order to avoid the latter, he should not advance that pawn any further than f5, so that the bishop can protect it without losing track of the h-pawn. 1.f5 [ Let’s examine two other tries: 1.f3 e7 2.e4 d6 (preventing Kd5) 3.f5 ( or 3.f5 c7 4.f6 b6 5.f1 f8 with similar play ) 3...c7 4.g6 b6 5.f1 f8 and, interestingly, it is now Black who applies the idea of one single diagonal, controlling the f-pawn and defending h6 at the same time. There can follow 6.f5 ( or 6.f7 d6 7.f5 h5! and the h-pawn soon deflects the enemy bishop from the defence of the a6-pawn ) 6...a7 7.f6 b6 8.f7 a7 and White can’t progress without losing track of the h-pawn; e.g. 9.h7 h5 10.g8 c5 11.f8 xf8 12.xf8 h4 13.e7 h3 with a draw – Ftacnik/Notkin. ] [ 1.f1 h5+ 2.f3 h4! 3.h3 ( or 3.g4 f2 4.g2 e7 5.g5 d8! – again, the task of controlling the a-pawn should be assigned to the king – 6.f5 c7 7.f6 b6
8.f7 c5 9.f1 h3 with a draw ) 3...e7 4.g4 f2 5.f5 f6! 6.f3 a7 7.e4 e7 8.d5 d7! and White can’t make progress – Ftacnik, since 9.f6+ e8 would allow Black to liquidate the f-pawn; e. g. 10.e6 g1 11.c6 h3! 12.xh3 f7 .] 1...a7 Curiously, while making this excellent waiting move, Bacrot resigned! As the following analysis shows, Black can make a draw as long as he doesn’t let White apply the idea of one single diagonal. 2.f4 h5! The only move, so as to avoid a position with the f-pawn on f7 and the white bishop ideally placed on the h5-e8 diagonal. [ Let’s see this in concrete terms: 2...g1? 3.e4 e7 4.d5 d7 5.g4! f2 6.f6+ e8 7.h5+! d7 8.f7 e7 9.c6 and White wins. ] 3.e4 e7 4.d5 d7! Preventing 5 Kc6. [ After 4...g1? 5.c6 , followed by Kb7 and a6-a7, White wins thanks to the perfect location of his bishop, protecting the f-pawn and controlling the h-pawn at the same time. ] 5.f6+ This is the only way to make progress, but as we already know, once the f-pawn leaves f5 it can no longer be comfortably defended by the bishop. e8 6.e6 h4! The pawn gets ready to sacrifice itself once the white king leaves the centre. 7.c6 [ After 7.d6 g1! ( or any other waiting move; just not 7...h3? 8.xh3 f7 9.e5 ) 8.c6 h3! , Black draws in similar fashion to the main line. ] 7...h3 8.b7 [ Or 8.xh3 f7 . ] 8...h2 9.d5 d4 10.a7 xa7 11.xa7 h1! 12.xh1 f7 . Black draws – Ftacnik/ Notkin.
Strutinskaya,G Chernikov,O European Senior Ch., Courmayeur [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) Barriers are quite common in bishop vs. knight endings, as in this simple example. 1.f6! Creating a barrier in order to prevent the entrance of the black king. [ In contrast, after 1.xh6?! d5
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, Black obtains counterplay – Baburin. It is worth noting that in most bishop vs. knight endings, the existence of mutual passed pawns favours the bishop. ] 1...c2 2.e3 Next, the white king should temporarily replace the knight in the task of controlling d5. f5 3.d4 b6 [ Or 3...c2 4.g8! h5 5.f6 d1 6.e3 with similar play – Baburin. ] 4.g8! Provocation – once the h-pawn moves to h5 it will be easier for White to attack it; besides, the g5-square is liberated for her king. h5 5.e3 c6 6.f6 g6 7.f4 c2 8.g5 [ Again there is no reason to go for 8.xh5?! d5 , either here or on the following moves. ] 8...d1 9.g6! Heading for the e6-pawn. f3 10.f7 g4 11.e7 Zugzwang. f5 [ On 11...c7 White could triangulate by 12.e8 c6 13.f7 , so as to force c7 , after which 14.g6 c6 15.xh5 wins comfortably now that d5 fails to 16.f6+ . ] 12.xh5 d5 13.f6 In comparison to the 8 Nxh5 subline, here White’s king is much more active, which secures a swift win. c4 14.g7 d3 15.xe6 xb4 16.d4 c5 17.e6! d6 18.e7 d7 19.e6 g6 20.f8+ 1-0
Vilela,J Augustin,J Prague [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this apparently drawish position, White decided matters by means of a barrier. 1.c5! King first, denying Black’s king the d6square. [ The hasty 1.a5? would just draw after d6! ( but not 1...e5? 2.c5! with similar play to the game ) 2.a6 e5 and the knight reaches c6 in time. ] 1...f5 [ Or 1...e5 2.a5 d7+ 3.c6! and wins – Dvoretsky. ] 2.a5 f4 3.a6 f3 4.c4! [ After 4.a7? f2 5.a8 f1 6.e8+ f5 , Black escapes. ] 4...f2 5.d2 f6 6.c6! [ Avoiding the last trap: 6.a7? e4+! . ] 6...e4 7.f1 1-0
Hellsten,J Sadler,M German League [Johan Hellsten]
2001
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1.d3! [ 1.-- ] 1...f5 2.f3 f7 3.e4! e7 4.b3 The barrier is complete and now prevents the black king from invading White’s territory. g6 . Neither player can do much, so a draw was agreed. ½-½
Browne,W Petrosian,TV Las Palmas Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) The barrier is also frequently used by the defending side. In the above position the bishop outranks the knight, but White has a very simple way of maintaining the balance.
Here is a similar, but more complex example. White has a more active game, and now intends g2-g4-g5, conquering the d5-pawn. Petrosian found a surprising defence. 1...g8! Deliberately handing over the d5-
pawn in order to set up a barrier. [ Another option was 1...e8!? 2.xd5 ( while 2.a4!? d8 3.xe8 can be met by f6! and only then 4...Rxe8. ) 2...xd5 3.xd5 d6 with similar play. ] 2.xd5 [ Or 2.xd5?! e7 , followed by 3...Rxd4. ] 2...xd5 3.xd5 e7! Heading for c8-d6. 4.e4 c8 5.e3 g5 [ The immediate 5...d6 was fine as well, but Petrosian prefers to grab some space. ] 6.hxg5 hxg5 7.f4 gxf4+ 8.xf4 f6 9.d3 d6 The barrier is complete, preventing White from making progress. 10.g4 g7 11.g3 f7 12.h5 g7 13.g4 [ Play might have continued 13.g4 f7 14.g5 fxg5 15.xg5 e7 16.f4 d7 17.e5 c7 , followed by endless knight moves. ] ½-½
example 246 Dvoretsky,M [Johan Hellsten] a
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With the knight on h2 this would be an elementary draw, but that can’t be accomplished here. Fortunately, a different defensive idea is available. 1.g3! Creating a barrier against the black king. [ In contrast, going for a fork by 1.h6? h2 2.g4 fails to h1+ , queening with check – Dvoretsky. ] 1...h2 [ The direct 1...e3 allows 2.f1+ f2
3.h2 with a simple draw; e.g. g2 4.g4 g3 5.e3 etc. ] 2.b7 It transpires that Black’s king can’t step on e4 or e2, while e3 and d2 aren’t available either due to a fork on f1. d4 [ After 2...c2 3.c6 d1 4.d5 e1 5.e4 f2 6.h1+ ( or 6.f4 ) 6...g2 7.e3 xh1 8.f2 , it is again a draw. ] 3.c6 e5 4.c5 f4 5.h1! The knight is sacrificed to leave Black’s king trapped in the corner. f3 6.d4 g2 7.e3 xh1 8.f2 . Stalemate. ½-½
example 247 Dvoretsky,M [Johan Hellsten] a
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How to cope with the enemy plan of ...Ke4-d3, finishing off the c3-pawn? 1.a8! A surprising move, but it turns out that the knight is needed on b6, and this is the only available route. [ Both 1.g2? e4 2.g3 d3 3.b5 ( or 3.d5 ) 3...c4 ] [ and 1.b5? d5! ( not 1...e4? 2.c4 d3 3.d6! etc ) 2.a3 e4 3.g2 d3 4.c4 c3 5.f3 b3 6.e4 xa3 lead to a draw. But note that with the white king starting on h2, he would win in this line as well, by 7 Kd6 at this moment. ] 1...d5 [ Or 1...e4 2.c4 d4 3.b6 , securing the pawn. Incidentally, defending the pawn from the front tends to be a good idea in knight vs. pawn endings with blocked pawns.
In contrast, without the c5-pawn on the board, the knight should defend the pawn from the back; e.g. from b2 in this case. ] 2.b6+ c6 3.c4 d5 4.d2! . Completing the barrier, with an easy win. 1-0
Tratar,M Hug,W Baden [Johan Hellsten] a
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example 249 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
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[ Seeing that 8...c7 9.xc5 , followed by 10 d6, is hopeless for him, Black makes a desperate try. ] 9.xb6 [ Of course 9.xc4 was also fine. ] 9...c3 10.xa5 . Heading for b3, so Black resigned. 1-0
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A clever knight manoeuvre helped White to capitalize on his extra pawn. 1.b3! Heading for c6 in order to create a barrier together with the d5-pawn. e5 2.d3 f2 3.a5 f5 4.c6 b6 5.a4 Preparing to fix the a-pawns on squares of the “right” colour in relation to the enemy bishop. a5 Black plays this move voluntarily, without waiting for White to provoke it by Nb4 or Nb8. 6.c5! A strong breakthrough which clears a path for the king via c4-b5. [ Alternatively, 6.b8 , followed by Nd7 and c4-c5, was a more complex winning procedure – Müller. ] 6...dxc5 [ Or 6...xc5 7.xa5 e5 8.c4 with the mortal threat of Nc6+ and a4-a5-a6a7 – Ribli. ] 7.c4 Thanks to the barrier, White can use his king for active means. f6 [ If 7...e4 , then 8.d6 – Ribli. ] 8.b5 [ Ribli also suggests 8.d6!? e6 9.b5 . ] 8...c4
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1.e7! Preparing zugzwang. [ 1.e4? would only draw after d6+ 2.e7 c8+! . ] 1...d8 2.e4! Preventing the check on c6, which means that Black is left with a single reply. f7 3.f3 Losing a tempo... d8 4.d5! ...and there it is, the magic distance. White wins.
Boleslavsky,I Kotov,A Zurich Candidates [Johan Hellsten]
1953
(Diagramme) Black has just played ...Rf8-e8, saving himself from further material losses. White reacted very opportunely, bearing in mind the idea of the magic distance. 1.xe8+
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example 251 [Johan Hellsten]
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[ After 1.a1 b7 2.f3 , White has good winning chances due to his extra pawn, but Boleslavsky’s approach is more technical. ] 1...xe8 2.e5! A key move, which leaves the knight on e8 restricted for the rest of the game. We saw an almost identical case in Chapter Two (Example 126, Fischer-Addison). [ In contrast, after 2.gxf3?! xd6 , White would suffer from a bad structure. ] 2...c6 3.b4! Fixing a weakness on a6. h5 [ Evidently, 3...f6 at any moment will be met by 4.xf6 , and the knight vs. bishop ending arising after gxf6 5.f3 is easily won thanks to the extra pawn – Bronstein. ] 4.f3 The rest is relatively easy, as Black is virtually a piece down. h7 5.e2 g5 6.f2 h4 7.g3 hxg3+ 8.hxg3 g6 9.g4! A move with several virtues: the enemy king is restricted, further pawn exchanges are avoided, and a future target is created on g5. b7 10.e3 c6 11.c3 b7 12.e4 d5 [ Or 12...c8 13.c5 and it is actually the knight who is dominating the bishop, with a decisive Kd4-d5 next. ] 13.c5 f7 14.xa6 e6 15.c3 a8 16.c5+ f7 17.e4 g6 18.e5 d5 19.d2 f7 [ Black resigned at the same time, in view of 19...f7 20.d4 e6 21.e4 . It is a striking fact that the knight never left e8. ] 1-0
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In order to win White must prevent the knight from reaching the b-file. 1.b6 f4+ [ After both 1...e7+ 2.c5! ] [ and 1...f8 2.d6! , the white king dominates the knight. ( These are the only winning moves – in this line, for example, 2.c6? would only draw after e6 . )] 2.d6! Applying the magic distance. [ Both 2.c6? e6 ] [ and 2.e5? d3+ , followed by ...Nb4-a6, would allow Black to draw. ] [ As for 2.c4?! , after g6! White would have to return to the main line with 3.d5 ( since 3.b7? fails to e5+ 4.d5 d7 ) 3...f4+ 4.d6! in order to win. ] 2...h4 3.b7 . White wins.
Eingorn,V Beliavsky,A USSR Championship, Kiev [Johan Hellsten]
1986
(Diagramme) Here is a similar example. Anybody acquainted with the magic distance idea will soon find the solution. 1.d4+! A typical deflection sacrifice. xd4 2.f6! The magic distance, delaying the knight checks to a maximum. c2 3.h5 e3 4.g5! Again the same theme. c4 5.h6
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[ Black resigned, in view of 5.h6 e5 6.h7 f7+ 7.f6 h8 8.g7 – Eingorn. ] 1-0
example 253 [Johan Hellsten] a
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h8+ [ Obviously, 1...f8 runs into 2.f5 . ] 2.f6 f7 3.d7! Compared to the initial position White’s king is now on f6, which means there is no fork on e5. [ Another winning option is 3.d4!? h6 4.c4! (zugzwang) h7 5.h4 . ] 3...h8 [ Or 3...h6 4.g6! with a decisive double threat. ] 4.a7! Losing a tempo. f8 5.a8#
Smyslov,V Krogius,N Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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With a rook fighting against a knight, the same distance of two squares diagonally remains highly relevant, as in this simple example. The king and rook vs. king and knight ending is only rarely won, but here the location of Black’s king proves fatal. 1.d5! The magic distance in order to limit the knight. Incidentally, changing subject for a moment, two fellow pieces located at the magic distance from each other (e.g. Kf3 and Qd1) can’t be forked by an enemy knight.
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1.d1! [ Here Black enjoys some counterplay for the pawn; e.g. 1.e7?! b8! 2.e4 c5 ] [ or 1.e2?! c8! , when 2.d2? fails to c1+ 3.f1 e1 . However, Smyslov finds a much better solution, based on the domination of the enemy knight. ] 1...xb2 [ Of course not 1...xf2? 2.f1 . ] 2.xd4 The magic distance. From now on, the knight will be badly missed in Black’s kingside defence; besides which, the knight itself runs the danger of being trapped. h6 [ After 2...c8 , both 3.e4 c1+ ( and 3...c7 4.d5! h6 5.d6 g7 6.g6+ ) 4.g2 d1 5.b4 d2 6.f1! d1 7.b8+ ( not 7.e1? b2! ) 7...g7 8.b7+ f6 9.e1 win for White ] [ while 2...e8 3.e4 d1 4.f5 f8
5.xh7! xf2 6.c2 again leaves the knight decisively dominated; e.g. h3+ 7.g2 f2+ 8.xh3 xc2 9.d5 g4+ 10.xg4 xh2 11.h5+ etc – Smyslov. ] 3.e4 f6 4.f3 g7 5.g2! Preparing Kh3g4-h5 in order to include his majesty in the kingside attack. a6 [ The restrictive 5...h5 now fails to 6.d5! h6 7.d7 – Smyslov. ] 6.h3 a4 7.c4! b2 [ The knight is denied c5 and c3, while 7...b6 would run into 8.c6 . ] [ Again 7...h5 wouldn’t work, this time due to 8.c7+ f6 9.h7 , winning a pawn – Smyslov. ] 8.c7+ f8 9.g4 d1 10.h5 e3 11.c3! f1 [ After 11...d1 12.c1 e3 ( or 12...f2 13.g6 ) 13.e1 c4 14.d3! , Black is lost as well. ] 12.d3 [ In view of 12.d3 a1 13.xf1 xf1 14.xh6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
B30 Benjamin,Joe Wagener,A US Championship, Seattle [Johan Hellsten]
2002
1.e4 [ J.Hellsten-A.Brkljaca, Belgrade 2002 (analysis variation): 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 b4 4.e3 0-0 5.ge2 d5 6.a3 e7 7.f4 c6 8.d3 dxc4 9.xc4 bd7 10.0-0 e5 11.fe2 b6 12.a2 exd4 13.xd4 c5 14.f3 g4 15.e4 xd1 16.xd1 xf3 17.gxf3 . Black would really like to seize the d4-square with one of his knights, but that will take him considerable time (if it is even possible), since both knights are on the magic distance from d4. Probably he will have to adjust his plans – fight for the open file by fd8 , for instance, when White keeps a pleasant advantage after 18.e3 , thanks to his bishop pair and mobile pawn centre. ] 1...c5 2.f3 c6 3.b5 e6 4.0-0 ge7 5.e1 a6 6.f1 d5 7.exd5 xd5 8.d3 g6 9.e4 d6 10.c3 e7 11.d4 0-0 12.e3 cxd4 13.cxd4 d7 14.c3 ad8 15.c1 . A bishop on e4 is not a typical feature in such IQP structures, but here this
idea works very well since both black knights are located at the “magic” distance from e4, which means that neither will be able to challenge the bishop in the near future. [ The game continued 15.c1 f5 16.c2 f4?! 17.e4 d5 18.d2! , preparing Bb3, with a clear advantage for White. ]
Tsvetkov,A Smyslov,V Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1947
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In the position above the pawn structure speaks clearly in Black’s favour – various white pawns are located on light squares, which means that they can be attacked by the black bishop, whereas Black himself has managed to put almost all his pawns on dark squares, out of reach for the enemy bishop. 1...g5! A key move, which fixes White’s kingside pawns on light squares. Note that with White to move, 1 g5! would be a great idea, fixing the g-pawns of both sides on the “right” colour, and at the same time restricting the enemy king. 2.f2 f6 3.e3 e5 4.e2 c2 Preparing actions on the queenside. [ 4...g2 is less effective due to 5.f2 , with the idea xh3? 6.g3 . ] 5.d2 b1 6.e3 h6! A useful piece of prophylaxis, placing the last pawn on a dark square, in similar fashion to Example 239 (Aaberg-Tiviakov). 7.f3 [ Or 7.d1 e4! (zugzwang) 8.e2 c2 , followed by ...Ba4 – Smyslov, in similar
spirit to the game. ] 7...c2 8.e2 a6 9.d2 a4 10.e3 b5! Black couldn’t capitalize on either weakness on c4 and h3, so instead he starts undermining the d5-pawn. [ After 10...b5 , there is the threat of 11.-bxc4 12.xc4 b5 . ] 11.cxb5 axb5 12.f3 [ Or 12.c4 bxc4 13.xc4 c2 , followed by ...Be4 and the d5-pawn falls – Smyslov. ] 12...b3 13.e2 c4! 14.xc4 The ensuing pawn ending is lost; [ but after the alternative 14.f3 xd5 , followed by ...Bc4 and ...d6-d5-d4, Black also wins comfortably. ] 14...bxc4 15.a4 xd5 16.a5 c6 17.e4 d5+ 18.e5 d4! A decisive breakthrough, which must have been anticipated by Smyslov far in advance. 19.cxd4 c3 20.d5+ d7! 21.a6 c2 22.a7 c1 23.a8 f4# 0-1
Van Wely,L Kramnik,V European Junior Championships, Arnhem [Johan Hellsten] a
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Just like the previous example, the pawn structure determines that Black has the better bishop, though the weakness on d4 in itself won’t be sufficient to win the game. 1...g5! With the strong idea of ...g5-g4, fixing the g-pawns on the “right” colour, before White accomplishes a similar goal by Kf3 and g3-g4. 2.f3 g4+ 3.hxg4+ hxg4+ 4.e3 e7 The bishop is heading for d6, where it will
attack the fresh weakness on g3 and also deny the white king the f4-square, which means that the black king can look for new destinies. 5.c3 d6 6.e1 e6 7.d3 Passive defence. [ The idea of bringing the bishop to f4 won’t work: 7.f2 c7! (zugzwang) 8.e2 ( or 8.d2? f5 and the king enters at e4 ) 8...d7 9.f2 c6 10.d2 b5 11.f4 b6 12.e3 b4 etc – Müller. ] 7...d7 8.e2 c6 9.d3 b5 10.c2 a5! Pawn exchanges usually favour the defender, but there is no rule without exception. Here Kramnik has seen that he needs to swap the queenside pawns in order to progress further with his king. 11.d3 a4 12.bxa4+ [ Trying to keep the enemy king at bay with 12.c2 fails to a3 13.b1 b4! 14.xb4 ( or 14.f2 d2 , followed by Kb4-c3 ) 14...xb4 15.a2 c3 16.xa3 xd4 17.b2 d3 18.b4 c4 – Müller. ] 12...xa4 13.f2 [ Or 13.c2 a3! (zugzwang) 14.f2 b4 15.d3 b3 , transposing to the game. ] 13...b3 Despite the reduced material, White is doomed due to his two weaknesses. 14.e1 b2 15.f2 [ Again White can’t prevent the enemy king raid; i.e. 15.d2? b4+ . ] 15...c1 16.e3+ d1 17.f2 a3! Heading for the c1-h6 diagonal in order to leave White without bishop moves. 18.e3 [ Or 18.e3 e1 19.f4 b4 20.e5 f2 , followed by ...Kf3 and ...Be1, as later occurs in the game. ] 18...c1+ 19.d3 d2! A nice piece of zugzwang. 20.e3 [ 20.g1 e1 21.h2 f2 is equally hopeless – Müller. ] 20...e1 21.f4 f2 22.e5 e1 23.c3 e2 24.b4 f3 25.c5 e4! . White finally loses one of his pawns, and duly resigned. In Müller’s words: “e4 was a key square right from the start, but who would have thought that Kramnik’s king would come from f3 to get there?” 0-1
Roiz,M Radjabov,T European Cup, Saint Vincent [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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Material is equal, but with his next move White achieves a very favourable pawn structure. 1.a4! A strong advance, that not only fixes the a-pawns on the right colour, but also neutralizes Black’s queenside pawn majority compare the section on "One pawn stops two" in Chapter Two. [ Less precise was 1.e2?! a4! 2.d3 c6 with counterplay. ] 1...f6 [ Now 1...c6? fails to 2.dxc6 bxc6 3.d2 – Roiz. ] 2.e2 f5 3.d3 h5 4.d2! Preparing Ke3f3, so that the king assists in the creation of a passed pawn on the kingside. At the same time, Black is forced to put his last queenside pawn on a dark square. b6 5.e3 f6 6.f3 g6 [ Or 6...h4 7.e1 g5 8.g3 hxg3 9.xg3 e7 10.h4 f6 11.f2 e7 12.h5! , when both g5 ( and 12...g5 13.e4 xh5 14.f5 , followed by Ke6-d7 ) 13.e3 xe3 14.xe3 g5 15.e4 xh5 16.f5 win for White – Roiz. ] 7.g4 h4 8.gxh5+ xh5 9.e4 [ Roiz also suggests 9.e3 f6 10.f4 g5+ ( or 10...g6 11.g4 , preparing h4h5 ) 11.e4 and the king enters decisively at f5. ] 9...g6 10.f4 f6 11.g3 g5 [ After 11...g5 , Black is ready to meet
12.h4+ by g4 , but White has a surprise prepared on the opposite flank. ] 12.c5! A nice breakthrough which inevitably creates a second passed pawn. dxc5 [ After 12...bxc5 13.e1 , followed by Bxa5 ] [ or 12...e7 13.cxb6 cxb6 14.d4 f5 15.c4 e4 16.f2 d8 17.h4 f3 18.d4 xh4 19.xb6 e1 20.b5 e4 21.xa5 , White wins – Roiz. ] 13.xc7 b5 14.axb5 a4 15.d6 Tactically well-founded. [ The simple 15.f4+ h4 16.c1 was strong too; e.g. d8 17.a3 b6 18.d6 xh3 19.d5 , winning – Roiz. ] 15...a3 16.d7 a2 [ On 16...g6 there follows the same reply. ] 17.e5! d8 [ After 17...xe5 18.d8+ , White soon picks up the a-pawn with check. ] 18.d5 f5 19.a1 1-0
Tiviakov,S Anand,V German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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A brief look reveals that White has a huge positional advantage, but the weakness on d6 won’t be enough by itself for a win. Thus Tiviakov starts actions on the flanks, with the purpose of opening a new front. 1.h4! Preparing h4-h5 in order to fix the hpawns on the right colour. Moreover, a stronghold on g6 is created for the rooks. c6 2.h5 b7 3.e3 b8
[ Black is limited to passive defence, since 3...b5? would run into 4.cxb5 axb5 5.a5! , creating a powerful passed pawn – Tiviakov. ] 4.d4 c7 5.g1! Heading for g6. g7 Virtually abandoning the h6-pawn; [ but 5...g7 6.g6! xg6 7.hxg6 would just be depressing for Black, who faces the threat of Kg4-h5 and Be3, among other things. ] 6.g6 f7 7.e3 d7 8.f5 White is in no hurry to take the h6-pawn, and first improves his pieces. [ The tactical shot 8.e5!? was interesting as well. ] 8...f7 9.g4 f8 10.xh6 xh6 11.xh6 Rook endings are known for their drawing potential, but with a sound extra pawn, a powerful passer on h5 and more active pieces, White is clearly winning. g7+ [ Or 11...g8+ 12.g6 xg6+ 13.hxg6 f8 14.a5! in similar fashion to the game – Tiviakov. ] 12.f4 f8 13.a5! Opening a new front on the queenside. g1 Anand sacrifices a pawn for activity. [ On 13...bxa5 Tiviakov had prepared 14.e5 dxe5+ 15.xe5+ d6 16.xa5 a7 17.f5 etc. ] 14.axb6 b1 15.b7 xb3 16.e5! This carefully prepared shot decides the battle. dxe5+ 17.xe5+ d6 [ Or 17...f7 18.h7+ g8 19.ee7 – Tiviakov. ] 18.f5 e6 [ Again the seventh rank can’t be stepped onto: 18...e7 19.h7+ f7 20.xf7+ xf7 21.b5! . ] 19.h7 d8 [ Or 19...b8 20.c5! b6 21.cc7 – Tiviakov. ] 20.d5! [ In view of 20.d5 xd5 21.cxd5+ xd5 22.h6 , followed by Rg7 and h6-h7, Black resigned. ] 1-0
Segal,A Ivkov,B Sao Paulo [Johan Hellsten]
1978
(Diagramme)
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Black is clearly better here, with the more active king and a tremendous knight on c3, which paralyses the opponent’s play. But how to make progress? 1...b5! Preparing ...a5-a4 in order to fix a weakness on a3, while depriving White’s knight of the c4-square. 2.g2 a4 3.b4 [ Or 3.bxa4 bxa4 with the inevitable threat of 4.-- b5 5.b1 c4 . ] 3...e5 Amplifying the battle on the kingside. [ The tactical shot 3...a2?! 4.g3 xb4?? would not succeed after 5.axb4 a3 6.b1! – Ivkov. ] 4.g3 f5 5.gxf5 [ Or 5.g5 f4+! 6.exf4+ f5 7.h4 e2+ 8.g2 xf4 , keeping a huge advantage. ] 5...xf5 6.f3 e5 White is starting to run out of solid moves. 7.f2 f5 8.g3?! Abandoning the e3-pawn. [ After 8.fxe4? xe4+ 9.e2 xd2 10.xd2 e4 11.e2 h6 12.h3 h5 13.h4 f4 , White is also lost ] [ but 8.f4+ seems a bit more tenacious. One idea for Black here is e6 9.e1 d5 10.f2 d1+! 11.e2 b2 (by choosing this route to c4 for his knight, Black doesn’t let White’s king reach c2) 12.f2 c4 13.b1 e6 and the transfer of the king to h3 should decide. ] 8...d1! 9.fxe4 [ In the event of 9.f1 , one winning line is xe3! 10.xe3 f4+ 11.f2 fxe3+ 12.xe3 exf3 13.xf3 d4 . ] 9...xe3 Clearing the long diagonal for the king. 10.exf5 xf5+ 11.f3 d4! 12.f4 d6 . Preparing 13...Nc4, while 13...Kc3 is
another dreadful threat. 0-1
Smyslov,V Karlsson,La Las Palmas Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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1982
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Interestingly, both sides have difficulties in realizing their respective pawn majority. Smyslov found a clever idea. 1.a5! Preparing a5-a6 to fix a weakness on a7. The obvious Ne5-c6 can wait until a more suitable moment. c5 The most solid reply. [ Both 1...bxa5?! 2.a1 ] [ and 1...d2?! 2.c5! are unpleasant for Black; in this line there can follow bxc5 3.xc5 xc5 4.xd2 b3+ 5.d3 xa5 6.c6! and the b-pawn soon becomes a telling factor. ] 2.a6 From now on, the a7-pawn will be a real headache for Black. [ A different, interesting idea was 2.axb6 axb6 3.a1 , intending to invade with the rook along the seventh rank. ] 2...g7 3.c2! Preparing Rd2 in order to exchange the main defender of the a7-pawn, something that Black can’t allow to happen. e4 4.g4! [ Seeing that 4.c6 d7 is unconstructive, Smyslov grabs some space on the opposite flank. Meanwhile, Black can only wait. ] 4...f6 5.g5+ g7 [ Obviously, 5...xg5? failed to 6.c6 . ] 6.c6 d7 7.g2! White now aims at opening a new front on the kingside by h2-h4-
h5; [ but first rules out 7.g2 h5? on account of 8.gxh6+ xh6 9.xg6+! . ] [ In contrast, the combination 7.c5 xc5 8.xc5?! bxc5 9.b6 axb6 10.a7 xa7 11.xa7 would permit h6! 12.h4 hxg5 13.hxg5 e5! 14.fxe5 f7 with unclear play – Smyslov. ] 7...f8 8.h4 e8 9.h2 f8 10.h5 Getting on with the plan. [ The 10.c5!? breakthrough was also interesting; e.g. xc5 ( or 10...bxc5 11.b6 axb6 12.a7 ) 11.d2! c7 12.d8+ g7 13.a8 xa6 14.bxa6 xc6 15.xa7+ g8 16.b7 , followed by a6-a7, when Black loses his rook due to the badly placed king, in similar fashion to Example 201 (Van Wely-Giri). ] 10...gxh5 [ After 10...g7?! 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.h6 and 13 Ne5, the g6-pawn is doomed. ] 11.xh5 g8 12.h1 [ Seeing that the immediate 12.h6 can be met by c5 , Smyslov looks for a zugzwang. ] 12...g7 13.e5 d8 14.h6! Just at the right moment. Now Black’s defensive resources are soon exhausted. d6 [ 14...c5 was even worse due to 15.f6! and the rook enters at f7 – Smyslov, now that f8 fails to 16.xf8 xf8 17.c6 . ] 15.e2! A technical choice; [ avoiding even the slightest enemy counterplay after 15.c6?! d2 . ] 15...c3+ [ Or 15...d2+ 16.e1 d6 17.c6 with a quick win – Smyslov. ] 16.e1 d1+ 17.f2 d4 18.f3 Now Black’s pieces have definitely lost track, and the rest is easy. d6 19.f6! g8 20.f7 d3+ 21.xd3 [ In view of 21.xd3 xf7 22.e5+ , followed by Nc6xa7, Black resigned. ] 1-0
Polgar,J Guseinov,G European Championship, Aix-les-Bains [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) In this position, all White’s pawns are on the
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“wrong” colour, but this is hardly a big deal since only the one on d5 cannot move on to a dark square. On the other hand, White’s space advantage and more active king are concerning factors for Black. 1.h4! In order to fix the g6-pawn on a light square, before Black plays ...g6-g5 himself. [ Of course the immediate 1.g5? failed to xh3 . ] 1...h6 [ Unfortunately for Black, the “active” 1...f6?! 2.g5+ e5?? runs into 3.e3 with mate, so his king has to stay back. ] [ However, 1...b4!? , fixing pawns on the “right” colour, was worth considering, when Black would avoid the weakness on b5 that soon emerges in the game; e.g. 2.c4 a5 3.g5 h6 , followed by ...hxg5 and ...Kf7, when I see no obvious winning plan for White. ] 2.g5 hxg5 3.hxg5 f7 4.a3! Just like Smyslov’s 6...h6 against Tsvetkov (in Example 256), White puts a pawn on the right colour in advance. a5 [ The attempt to gain some space with 4...e5? fails to 5.dxe6+ xe6 6.c3 , and both the white king and bishop are ready to attack the queenside pawns. ] 5.d4 [ There is no hurry with 5.b4 ] [ since after 5.d4 , Black can’t play b4? anyway: 6.axb4 axb4 7.c4 . ] 5...g7 6.d3 f7 7.f4 g7 8.c3 f7 9.b4! Only now does Polgar fix the queenside; [ when Black can’t swap pawns with 9.b4 axb4+? due to 10.xb4 . ] 9...a4 10.d4 Compared with the initial
position White has made considerable progress – two weaknesses have been fixed: on g6 and b5; besides, there is the idea of advancing f4-f5 at the right moment, creating an outside passed pawn. g7 11.e3 f7 12.f3 g7 13.g3 f7 14.e2 g7 15.g4!? f5! [ Not 15...xg4? 16.xg4 f7 17.f5 , when the outside passed pawn on g5 soon decides matters. ] [ Whereas, after 15...f5 , 16.xf5? gxf5 17.h4 g6 leads to a draw, so White adjusts her plans. ] 16.e2 d7 17.f1 f7 [ Avoiding 17...e8 18.h3 , when Black’s bishop is dominated by its counterpart, although Polgar soon finds how to force this situation anyway. ] 18.d3 g7 19.h4! e8 [ On 19...f7 there follows the same reply. ] 20.e2 f8 [ It turns out that, with the white king on h4, 20...d7 21.g4 f5 no longer works, due to 22.xf5 gxf5 23.h5 . ] 21.g4 f7 22.e6! A strong reply, avoiding any black counterplay. This would have followed on 21...Kf8 as well. e8 [ After 22...xe6 23.dxe6 , White wins by bringing her king to c6 – De Dovitiis. ] 23.g4 After seizing the h3-c8 diagonal, the next step in White’s plan is Bc8-b7-c6, but first it makes sense to return with the king to the centre. Meanwhile, Black is confined to passive defence. g7 24.f3 f8 25.e4 g7 26.c8 f7 27.d4 f8 28.b7 d7 29.c6! e8 [ Or 29...xc6 30.dxc6 e8 31.f5 and the separated passed pawns take their toll. ] 30.f5! A nice final touch. [ In view of 30.f5 gxf5 31.g6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Uhlmann,W Fischer,RJ Leipzig Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1960
(Diagramme) Such positions with mutual passed pawns are clearly in the bishop’s favour, though
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precision is still required. 1...a5! Fixing the a4-pawn as a future target, and advancing the potential passed pawn as well. [ Obviously, 1...b3?! 2.a5 would be less to the point. ] 2.f4 [ Or 2.h6 d5 3.f6 f3 4.xh7 xc5 5.g6 b4 6.g5 xa4 7.xg4 xg4! 8.xg4 b4 and wins – Speelman. ] 2...b3 3.e3 [ After 3.xg4 xa4 4.g5 c2 , Black wins even more comfortably. ] 3...xa4 4.d2 [ Seeing that 4.f6 fails to c2 , White denies the bishop that square. ] 4...h6! A useful move, in order to delay White’s conquest of that pawn. 5.f6 xc5 6.xg4 h5 7.e3 [ After 7.f6 h4 8.e4+ d4 9.d6 d7! , the knight is fatally sidelined from the battle – Speelman. ] 7...d4 8.f1 e5 9.e3 b3 10.g3 Here White resigned. Let’s see a possible conclusion: a4 11.d3 a3 12.c3 a2 13.b2 h4 14.e2 e4 . Black wins – Speelman. 0-1
Zubarev,N Aleksandrov Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1915
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White’s activity is overwhelming, but in order to progress he needs a new weakness to work on. 1.h4! Fixing the h-pawns on squares of the “right” colour. gxh4 2.gxh4 e4 The only move, so as to prevent Ng2-f4. Nevertheless, by clever knight manoeuvres White soon forces the arrival of that piece on f4 anyway. 3.f1 [ Even faster was 3.d1 d3 4.f2 f5 5.a3! , followed by either 6 Nd3 or 6 Nh3 next move – 'EDAMI'. ] 3...f3 4.d2 e2 [ After the alternative 4...g2 5.b3 f3 6.d4 g4 , White can simply throw in 7.a3 , losing a tempo, with similar play as in the game. ] 5.b3 g4 [ Another, perhaps not-so-obvious asset for White during this whole example is his reserve of waiting moves: a2-a3, b2-b3 and b3-b4, whereas Black doesn’t have even one. Thus after 5...d1 6.d4 g4 , White can lose a tempo by 7.a3! , again with similar consequences to the game. ] 6.d4! Zugzwang: since the king is busy opposing its white counterpart, Black finally has to leave the d1-h5 diagonal with his bishop. h3 7.e2 f5 8.f4 g4 9.b4! Again Black is in zugzwang, and now he must give up a pawn. d7 10.b6 f3 11.xa6 c6 12.xe6 1-0
Alekhine,A Yates,F Hastings [Johan Hellsten] a
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finally reaches its desired destiny at f4. f7 10.f4 d7 11.e2! Zugzwang. a5 12.e3 g8 13.xh5 f7 14.f4 g8 15.e2 It is the king’s turn to use the f4-square, in order to invade the enemy camp. Yates fights on until the bitter end. e6 16.f4 e8 17.g5 f7 18.c3 f8 19.g6 g8 20.f7+! f8 21.f6 xf7 22.e6 h5 23.xd5 e8 24.c3 . In view of the imminent advance of the d-pawn, Black resigned. 1-0
Eismont,O Yandemirov,V Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black has just played ...c6-c5 with the obvious intention of ...d5-d4+, after which his bishop would become great on c6. However, any such aspirations are effectively crushed by Alekhine’s next, strong move. 1.d4! Fixing the d5-pawn as a future attacking object, while placing his own d-pawn on a dark square, out of reach for the enemy bishop. The fact that Black now obtains a protected passed pawn is irrelevant. c4 2.f5! A nice follow-up which enables 3 Nf4, an idea that Yates hurries to prevent. g5 3.h4! In the same spirit as two moves ago, fixing a weakness on h5 while softening up the dark squares on the kingside. f6 4.hxg5 Alekhine hurries to create a powerful pair of connected passed pawns. [ The more restrained 4.g1 would allow gxh4 5.gxh4 d7 6.e6 c6 7.e2 d6 8.f4 e8 with some chances for a draw. ] 4...fxg5 5.g1! Heading for f3 or h3 in order to soften up the dark squares even more. d7? [ The active 5...h4 was called for, although after 6.g4 a4 7.e2!? , preparing Nh3, White keeps good winning chances. ] 6.f6+ e8 [ Or 6...e6? 7.h3 , winning – Primel. ] 7.f3 Now it turns out that Black has no other choice than to put one more pawn on a light square, and the rest is child’s play for Alekhine. g4 8.h4 e6 9.g6! The knight
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A nightmare position for White: his bishop has no scope at all, and the pawns on b3 and e4 are easy targets for Black’s pieces. With his next move, Yandemirov increased his advantage. 1...g5! Fixing another weakness on g4, while ruling out any ideas of g4-g5 and f5-f6. 2.g3 [ Or 2.fxg6 fxg6 3.g3 g5! with similar play. ] 2...g7 3.hxg5 hxg5 4.d1 a6 Despite b4 being a protected square, the black knight wasn’t really doing anything there, and is now redirected to the more useful c5square. 5.e1 [ More stubborn was 5.a1 c5 6.a3 ( not 6.xa5? xe4+ ) , although after 6...f6 (there is no rush to take the pawn) 7.f3 xe4+ 8.xe4 xe4 9.xa5 e3+
10.f2 xb3 , Black should win. Even so, rook endings always leave some additional hope for the defender. ] 5...c5 6.e3 e8! 7.f2 Forgetting about the b3-pawn. [ Instead, after the more solid 7.f3 Black would prevail by f6 , bringing up the king – Atlas; e.g. 8.f2 e5 , with ...Rb8 and ...Kd4 next, when White inevitably loses material. ] 7...b8 8.e5 dxe5 0-1
Smyslov,V Derkach Kiev [Johan Hellsten] a
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1937
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h4 13.d6 , winning Black’s queen in the end – Smyslov. ] 2.fxe4 fxe4 [ Or 2...dxe4 3.g3 , followed by a timely d5d6; e.g. d3 4.d5 c4 5.d6! e6 6.g5 xd6 7.xg6 e5 8.xh5 f6 9.h6 d3 10.d5+ e5 11.g7! xd5 12.h5 and wins – Smyslov. ] 3.g3! Zugzwang – it is easy to see that Black has no solid move at his disposal. e6 4.g5 f7 5.d1! The knight’s ability to touch almost any square on the board means that it should usually move around a lot in the endgame. f1 6.f2 g7 7.g4! The pawn helps the knight enter Black’s camp. hxg4 [ Or 7...e2 8.gxh5 gxh5 9.h3 , heading for f4. ] 8.xg4 h3 9.f6 e6 10.e8+ . There follows 11 Nc7 or 11 Nd6 with devastating effect, so Black resigned. 1-0
Benko,P Parma,B Belgrade [Johan Hellsten] a
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In such blocked positions the knight tends to be stronger than the bishop, and here White is favoured by the fact that several pawn pairs are fixed on the “right” colour, which means that the white pawns cannot be attacked by the bishop. But how to progress? 1.a6! A move with several virtues: a weakness is fixed on a7, a tempo is gained for a future passed pawn race, and the enemy bishop is tied to the defence of the b5-pawn, now that ...a7-a6 will no longer be possible. g6 [ If 1...exf3 2.gxf3 g6 , to avoid the zugzwang that follows in the game, White has the strong 3.e4! ; e.g. fxe4 4.fxe4 dxe4 5.xe4+ e6 6.c3 and the fresh passed pawn takes its toll after f6 7.d5 d3 8.e4+! xe4 ( or 8...e7 9.e5 ) 9.xe4 g5 10.hxg5+ xg5 11.e5! g6 12.e6
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This position with an open centre is clearly to the bishop’s liking, though Black has achieved a barrier which prevents White’s king from invading the enemy camp. With his next, strong move Benko addresses the issue. 1.h5! White deliberately fixes the h-pawns on squares of the “wrong” colour in order to soften up the f5-square for the king. [ The stereotypical 1.g5?! would achieve
less after hxg5! 2.hxg5 e7 , intending 3.-fxg5 4.fxg5 e6 with excellent drawing chances – Shereshevsky. ] 1...g5 [ The active 1...f5+ backfires after 2.e5! ] [ while 1...gxh5 2.gxh5 , followed by Kf5, soon forces Black to let the king enter at e6 ] [ and 1...g7 2.hxg6 xg6 3.d3 is similar. ] 2.fxg5 fxg5 3.f5 g7 4.e5! A typical ploy: having diverted the enemy king, White directs his own king to the opposite flank. e8 5.e6 f6 6.b4! Before invading with the king it makes sense to advance the queenside pawns, anticipating a potential passed pawn race. e8 7.b5 f6 [ Or 7...f8 8.d7 and the king enters at d6 anyway. ] 8.a4 e8 9.f5 f6 10.e6 e8 11.e4 [ Another good option was 11.e7 and the king accesses d6 on the next move. ] 11...f6 12.f3 g8 13.d6 f8 [ Or 13...f6 14.d5 e7 15.e6! , trapping the knight in curious fashion. ] 14.c6 e7 15.b7 d6 16.xa7 c5 17.a6 [ Avoiding 17.a5 bxa5 18.b6 f6 , followed by ...Nd7. ] 17...f6 18.c6! The magic distance, preventing Black’s knight from assisting in the queenside defence. xg4 19.a5 bxa5 20.b6 e5 21.e8 1-0
Smeets,J Carlsen,Ma Nice (rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) The open centre and the existence of pawns on both flanks evidently favour the bishop. Instead of the routine 1...Ke7, Carlsen found a more long-term plan. 1...g5! Realizing the idea of fixing enemy pawns in a slightly different fashion than in the previous examples. Here White’s h-pawn is not fixed at h3, but a later attack with the bishop will force it to move forward, and after ...g5xh4, g3xh4, White’s split kingside pawns will prove more vulnerable to Black’s king.
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[ Less promising was 1...e7 2.e2 e6 3.c3! e5 ( or 3...b2 4.d3 , followed by Kc2 ) 4.d3!? a6+ 5.e3 with f2-f4 next ] [ or 1...f3 2.b2 e7 3.e1 e6 4.d2 d5 5.c3 xc5 6.xb3 d4 7.c2 , when the battle on one single flank is to the knight’s taste. ] 2.e2 g2 3.h4 gxh4 4.gxh4 g7 Immediately heading for the kingside pawns; [ although 4...e7 5.d3 h3 was worth considering too – Baburin. ] 5.d3 g6 6.c4 h5 7.xb3 xh4 Black has obtained the sort of position he was looking for, with mutual passed pawns, where the bishop tends to outperform the knight. 8.e3 b7 9.c4 h5 10.d4? [ The active 10.b5! , preparing c5-c6, was called for; e.g. g5 11.c6 c8 12.c5 h4 13.f1! g4 14.h2+ h3 15.f3! and Black cannot make progress, since g4 is met by 16.c7 with a draw – Baburin. Of course such decisions are more difficult at the board, so you could say that, although 1...g5 might not win theoretically, it does make White’s task a bit harder in practice. ] 10...g5 11.e5 h4 12.f4+ g6 13.g4 White hurries to block the h-pawn on a dark square. h3 14.h2 f6+ 15.e6 g2 16.g4 h5 [ Correct was 16...f5 17.h2 e4! , preparing ...Kh5-h4 – Baburin; e.g. 18.e5 h5 19.c6 xc6 20.xf5 h4 21.e5 g3 22.f1+ g2 23.e3+ g1 24.g4 f3! and wins. ] 17.f2? [ Here 17.h2! was more tenacious, when Black would have to repeat moves with g6
( the tempting 17...h4? only draws after 18.xf6 g3 19.f5 xh2 20.e5 – Baburin ) , and if 18.g4 then f5 , transposing to the previous note. ] 17...h2 18.xf6 h4 19.e5 g3 0-1
Sokolov,I Sutovsky,E Hoogeveen [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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Here is one more bishop vs. knight ending. The reader who has paid attention so far in this section will have no problem finding White’s next, strong move. 1.g5! Fixing the black kingside pawns on light squares. [ With Black to move, 1.-- g5! would have been an excellent choice, avoiding the difficulties he soon faces in the game. ] 1...e7 [ In the event of 1...d6 White should play 2.c4 ( he should avoid 2.f4?! due to d5 , followed by ...Nd6 ) , when the desirable 2...e5 permits 3.c5+! d5 4.dxe5 xc5 5.e6! fxe6 6.xg6 with a clear advantage – Krasenkow. ] 2.c4 c6 3.c3 b6? This lets White increase his grip on the dark squares. [ The time was right for 3...e5! ; e.g. 4.dxe5 xe5 5.e4 b6 with good drawing chances – Krasenkow. ] 4.e4 e7 5.f4! Now Black can forget about the freeing move ...e6-e5. c8 [ After 5...c7 6.b4 c6+ 7.xc6 xc6
8.c5! , White wins the pawn ending thanks to two pawns stopping three on the kingside; e. g. a6 ( or 8...a5+ 9.a4 bxc5 10.dxc5 xc5 11.xa5 and the outside passed pawn decides ) 9.c4! c7 ( or 9...b5+ 10.b4 b7 11.a5 a7 12.c6 b4 13.xb4 b6 14.c7 xc7 15.c5 etc ) 10.cxb6+ xb6 11.d5! exd5+ 12.xd5 c7 13.c5 – Krasenkow. ] 6.c5! Creating a passed pawn, and clearing a route for the king via c4-b5-a6. e7 7.c4 c7 8.b5 f5? Now White wins in similar fashion to the 5...Kc7 subline above. [ More tenacious was 8...bxc5 9.xc5 ( not 9.dxc5?! d5! 10.xd5 exd5 11.c6 d4 12.c4 xc6 13.xd4 d6 with a draw ) 9...c8! 10.d5 d6 with a worse, but possibly not lost position – Krasenkow. ] 9.xf5! gxf5 10.c4 c6 11.a4! A final accuracy; [ both 11.cxb6? axb6 ] [ and 11.a3? b5+ 12.b4 a6 would let Black save a draw. ] [ In contrast, after 11.a4 , he finds himself in zugzwang; i.e. c7 ( 11...a6 is similar; or 11...bxc5 12.dxc5 b7 13.d4 , followed by Ke5-f6 ) 12.cxb6+ xb6 13.d5 and White wins in all cases. Therefore Black resigned. ] 1-0
Dreev,A Charbonneau,P FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk [Johan Hellsten]
2005
(Diagramme) A quick glance reveals that Black will soon recover the pawn on d6, but in the process he will have to offer a rook exchange. Considering the potential bishop vs. knight ending, Dreev hurries to fix the kingside pawns on squares of the “right” colour. 1.h4! Creating a long-term target for the bishop on g6. e6 2.f3 d7 [ Black is forced to spend a few vital tempi on the defence of the g6-pawn, since the straightforward 2...xd6? fails to 3.xd6+ xd6 4.e8! – Hazai. ] 3.b5 f8 4.d7! By handing over the pawn in this way, White makes his opponent waste more time in untangling. xd7 5.f2 e7
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6.e3 f8 7.xd8! xd8 8.e4 Dreev has reached his goal: a highly favourable bishop vs. knight ending. e6 9.e5 e7 10.c4! Before moving his king over to the queenside, White rules out ...Nf4. d8 11.d5 [ Black resigned. An apparently early decision, but both 11.d5 f6 ( and 11...e6 12.c6; while after 11...d7 12.d3 e6 13.e5! f8 14.f6 , the story is repeated on the opposite flank ) 12.d6 allow the white king to invade decisively on the queenside – Hazai. ] 1-0
Delgado Ramirez,N Soppe,G Santa Clara [Johan Hellsten]
2000
(Diagramme) White is a healthy pawn up, but how to progress? Delgado finds a great idea. 1.a3! Fixing a weakness on a4, which if captured would yield White a powerful passed pawn. [ In contrast, after 1.d3?! c1 , Black would have certain drawing chances. ] 1...c1 2.b4 b2 [ At this point, 2...b2 3.xa4?! xd4 4.a5 f2 5.h5 c7 isn’t too impressive for White, but Delgado has a surprise prepared. ]
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3.e5+! A strong breakthrough which provides White with a passed pawn on the kingside as well. fxe5 4.dxe5+ xe5 5.g5! hxg5 6.hxg5 Despite the simplifications, Black’s task has become very difficult. As discussed in Chapter Two, the more space between the separated passed pawns, the more powerful they become. c5+ 7.xa4 c4 8.b4 c3 9.a4! Heading for c2, on the topic of one single diagonal. e6 [ Or 9...d5 10.g6 g7 11.b3+ d4 12.a4 and wins – Lukacs. ] 10.c2 d5 11.b5 The king is ready to support either of the passed pawns, depending on Black’s play. d4 12.a4 e3 13.g6 d4 14.d3! [ Not 14.a5?! d6 , when the a-pawn can no longer be defended by the bishop, once the king moves over to the opposite flank. With the text White aims instead at shifting the bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal. ] [ Since 14.b3+ d6 would leave White without a proper move, he first loses a tempo in order to reach the same position with Black’s turn. ] 14...d6 15.b1! d5 16.a2+ d6 17.b3 Zugzwang. c7 [ On 17...e7 18.c6 ] [ Or 17...e5 18.b6 , the a-pawn decides. ] 18.c4 g7 19.d5 d7 20.c2 [ After 20.c2 f6 21.f5+ , the white king enters on e6 or c6, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
Cifuentes Parada,R Langeweg,K El Vendrell [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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When there are opposite-coloured bishops on the board, one single weakness or asset often isn’t enough for victory. In the position above, White needs to open a new front alongside with his passed b-pawn in order to exhaust the enemy defences. 1.h5! Before activating his king, Cifuentes fixes a long-term weakness on h6. [ Less promising was 1.hxg5? hxg5 2.h3 d6! 3.xe4 c7 ] [ Or 1.h3 d6! 2.g4 c7 3.h5 xe3 4.xe4 d2! 5.f5 g4 , in both cases with a draw – Cifuentes. ] 1...d5?! [ I think that 1...g4! was called for, fixing a weakness on g3 which can be attacked by the bishop on the same diagonal as it controls the b7-pawn; e.g. 2.f2 b8 3.e8 e6 4.c6 f5 5.d7+ g5 6.e8 f5 and it is not clear how to progress with White. ] 2.g4! Thus White doesn’t just secure his gpawn (cf. 1...g4 above), he also makes the h6pawn very difficult to defend. In the words of Cifuentes: supposing that White manages to place his king on g6 and the bishop on the a2g8 diagonal, then the h-pawn would be unstoppable. e5 3.f2 The white king finally starts its march towards the b-pawn. b8 4.e2 a7 5.d2 d5 6.c3 b8 7.f7+ c5 8.g6 d5 9.b4 g3 10.b5 c7 11.a6! By means of the threat
12 Ka7 White gains access to the b6-square. By the way, king movements on squares of the “enemy” colour often play a key role in endings with opposite-coloured bishops, as we already saw in Example 241 (AronianBacrot; 4...Kd7), among others. b8 12.b6 e5 13.c6 e6 In order to prevent 14 Kd7, Black has to abandon the e4-pawn. 14.xe4 g3 15.f5+ e7 16.b6 b8 17.e4 d6 18.e5+! e7 [ Evidently, 18...xe5 19.c6 ] [ or 18...d5 19.c8 xe5 20.c6 f6 21.d7 f7 22.d8 , followed by Bf5 and Kc8, leads to a quicker win – Cifuentes. ] 19.c2! Regrouping the bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal, so that it won’t obstruct a later king transfer via e4-f5. e6 20.b3+ e7 [ Again 20...xe5 permits 21.c6 ] [ while after 20...d7 21.c5 xe5 22.d5 , Black has no satisfactory defence against the threat of Ke4-f5-g6. ] 21.a2! Zugzwang. [ Of course 21.c6? xe5 22.d5 f6 had to be avoided – Cifuentes. ] 21...d7 22.c5! Finally, the invasion with the king via f5-g6 can’t be avoided, and the rest is easy. xe5 23.d5 f4 24.e4 e7 [ Or 24...c6 25.f5 xb7 26.g6 c6 27.xh6 d6 28.g7 etc – Cifuentes. ] 25.f5 c7 26.g6 1-0
Moberg,K Hellsten,J Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten]
1996
(Diagramme) Here is one more opposite-coloured bishop ending with an extra pawn. Black has just played ...Ba3-d6, trying to provoke a concession on the kingside. 1.g3? A bad mistake, helping the opponent to fix the h2-pawn as a future target. [ After 1.h3! gxh3 2.gxh3 a3 3.c6 , I see no winning plan for Black, whose eand f-pawns can be attacked opportunely by the white bishop. ] 1...a3 Immobilizing the enemy pawn majority. Meanwhile, White can only wait. 2.f2 h5 Black’s plan is evident: ...h5-h4-h3 to fix the h2-pawn and create queening scenarios on
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[ In view of 25...d3 26.xf3 b4+ , White resigned. ] 0-1
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the h-file. 3.e8 g5 4.f7 e5 5.d5 h4 6.e2 [ After 6.gxh4+?! xh4 7.e6 ( or 7.g2 c1 ) 7...f4 8.f5 h3 , Black wins with less effort. ] 6...h3 7.c6 c5 8.a4 f4! Creating a pair of connected passed pawns, and clearing the way for the bishop towards g1. 9.xe4 xe3 10.f1 c5 11.c6 f3 12.e4 White is pinning his hopes on a light-square blockade, but it transpires that Black can make a turn with his king without bothering about the g4and h3-pawns. f6! 13.b7 e6 14.e4 [ 14.c8+ was more tenacious, when d6! ( less clear is 14...d5?! 15.xg4 e4 16.c8! , followed by 17 Bb7(+), indirectly controlling the enemy passed pawns ) 15.xg4 ( 15.b7 leads to the game ) 15...e4 16.e1 ( not 16.xh3? e3 ) 16...e5 17.xh3 e3 18.f1 d4 should be winning for Black. One plan at this point is to control the kingside pawns with the bishop, attack the queenside pawns with the king, and finally transpose to a bishop vs. pawns ending by ...e3-e2(+). ] 14...d6 15.b7 [ After 15.f5 b4 ( again 15...d5?! 16.xg4 e4 17.c8! , followed by 18 Bb7(+), is less convincing ) 16.xg4 e4 17.f2 c5+ 18.e1 e5 , we have transposed to the previous note. ] 15...b4 16.e4 c5 The king finally enters, and the rest is easy. 17.f5 d4 18.xg4 e4 19.f2 d3 20.f5 c5+ 21.f1 d4 22.g4 c3! White is unable to defend both flanks. 23.xh3 e3 24.g4 e2+ 25.e1 d3
Gurevich,M Sandipan,C Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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Thanks to his bishop pair White has a slight but enduring edge. Gurevich treated the endgame in exemplary fashion. 1.b5! Fixing a weakness on a7 for the darksquared bishop. f6 Preventing 2 Be5 and preparing the co-ordination of the pieces by ... Kf7, ...e6-e5 and ...Be6. 2.c3 The bishop gets ready to switch diagonals when necessary. f7 3.c4 [ The straightforward 3.b4 can be met by e5 4.d6 e6 5.b8 c8 . ] 3...g6 4.b4 e5 5.e2 b7 The bishop will prove rather passive here after White’s next. [ Perhaps 5...d7 , preparing ...Nc5 and ... Bd7, was more promising; e.g. 6.d6 c5 7.f3 d7 8.b8 a4! 9.xa7 c3 10.f1 xb5 with favourable simplifications. ] 6.f3 d7 7.d6! Tying the knight to the defence of the b8-square. g6 8.f2 f5 Admittedly, this advance opens up the position for the bishop pair, but Black had no other chance for counterplay. 9.exf5 gxf5 [ Or 9...exf5 10.c4+ f6 11.e3 with a clear advantage – Gurevich. ] 10.g4! Softening up the enemy pawn structure in order to create targets for the bishops. fxg4
11.fxg4 d5 12.e3 g6 13.h4 h6 14.h5+! Fixing a new weakness on h6. g7 15.g3 f6 [ It is not easy to find a solid move for Black; for example, 15...e5 permits the unpleasant 16.g5!? hxg5 17.g4 – even so, after c5 18.xe5+ h6 , he might have better chances for survival than in the game. ] 16.e5 f7 17.f4 g7 18.d4! Now that Black’s king is tied to the h6-pawn, Gurevich prepares Ke5-d6-c7-b8. [ Less promising was 18.b8 d7 , intending 19.xa7?! e5 – Gurevich. ] 18...e4 [ The attempt to keep the barrier intact by 18...d7 permits 19.g5! hxg5 20.xg5 , when the h-pawn becomes a giant. ] 19.e5+ f7 20.f4 g7 21.e5 c3 22.d3 f3 23.d6! a4 [ Obviously, 23...xg4 failed to 24.e5+ . ] 24.e5+ g8 25.g5! It transpires that White’s bishops are perfectly placed for this breakthrough. c5 The only defence; [ since both 25...hxg5 26.h6 ] [ and 25...xh5 26.gxh6 lose at once. ] 26.g6! e4+ 27.xe6 xg5+ 28.e7 Black avoided instant defeat on the kingside, but now his knight is sorely missed on the other flank. e2 29.b8 a6 30.bxa6 xa6 31.a7 f3 Black gives up a pawn; [ seeing that 31...b5 32.d3 is hopeless – Gurevich. ] 32.xb6 e5 33.e8 The magic distance. The rest is rather easy: White just runs with the a-pawn. c4 34.d4 d3 35.e3 g7 36.a4 b4 37.d4+ g8 38.a5 d5+ 39.d6 f4 [ If 39...f8 , one good option is 40.c5 xe8 41.xc4 and Black can’t defend both flanks; e.g. c7 42.e3 . ] 40.e3 f8 41.c6! Preparing a little piece of simplification. xh5 42.xh6+ f7 43.d5+! xd5 44.xd5 [ In view of 44.xd5 f6+ 45.c6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Hamdouchi,H Bricard,E French Championship, Belfort [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2010
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Just as in the previous example, the bishops promises a slight but enduring edge. 1...g5! A move with several virtues: Black gains space, mobilizes his pawn majority, and enables ...Kg7-f6, overcoming the barrier of White’s minor pieces. Moreover, White is not allowed to set up an ideal kingside structure with h2-h4, which means that his h-pawn can later become fixed on h2 or h3. [ For the same reason, 1...h5?! 2.h4! would be less precise. ] 2.b4 c7 [ Of course Black isn’t tempted by 2...xc6? 3.xc6 axb4 4.cxb4 xb4 5.d7 f4 6.f5 , when White holds in the opposite-coloured bishop ending despite the pawn minus – Baburin. ] 3.f3 g7 4.f2 f6 5.e3 h5! Gaining more space, and preparing to fix a weakness on h2 by ...h5-h4-h3. 6.d3 h4 7.e2 [ It is not easy to give White good advice; for example, 7.gxh4?! gxh4 would just yield Black additional ideas such as ...e5-e4+ and ...Kg5-f4. ] 7...h3! Fixing the h2-pawn and creating queening scenarios. 8.f2 e6! A well-known merit of the bishop pair is that one of the bishops can be exchanged at some moment in order to achieve another advantage. Here such an exchange helps Black to clear the way for his king towards the enemy queenside, while the potential attacker of the h2-pawn – the dark-squared bishop – remains on the board. 9.xe6 [ White is also in big trouble after 9.c4 xd5 10.cxd5 axb4 11.xb4 d6 , with ideas
like ...Bc5+ and ...e5-e4 followed by ...Ke5. ] 9...xe6 10.e3 [ Or 10.b5 d5 11.e7+ c4 12.xf5 b3! and the a-pawn soon takes its toll. ] 10...b5! A strong breakthrough that leads to a position with mutual passed pawns, where the bishop tends to outperform the knight. [ Another option was 10...d7 11.b5 e4! with the threat of 12...Bxg3; e.g. 12.f4 gxf4+ 13.gxf4 d6 and Black should win – Baburin. ] 11.axb5 [ Or 11.bxa5 bxa4 12.a6 a3! 13.b4 ( 13.a7 fails to b6+ ) 13...b6+ 14.d3 g1 15.c4 d6 , followed by ...Kc7, and the h-pawn soon decides – Baburin. ] 11...a4 12.d2 White is just in time to control the a-pawn, but now his kingside is left undefended. d7 13.c4 a3 14.c2 e4! The threat of ...Bxg3 seals White’s fate. 15.fxe4 fxe4 16.d4 xg3 17.b3 xh2 18.c5+ c8 19.xe4 e5 0-1
Illescas Cordoba,M Krasenkow,M Dos Hermanas [Johan Hellsten] a
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2001
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In this typical Grünfeld ending, White has several assets, such as the bishop pair, Black’s badly placed knight and the passed dpawn. But in order to make progress he needs something more to work on. 1.g5! Fixing a weakness on g6 which will reduce the mobility of Black’s king.
[ 1.c8?! c4 2.e6+ e7 was less productive ] [ but 1.h5!? also deserved attention, softening up the light squares for the king in similar fashion to Example 268 (BenkoParma). ] 1...hxg5 2.hxg5 fxg5 [ After 2...f5 3.e5! d8 4.b8 , White wins – Krasenkow. ] 3.fxg5 b8 [ Or 3...d8 4.f4 , followed by 5 Be5. ] 4.c3 d6 5.e4 a3 6.d2! Not allowing even the slightest counterplay with 6...Bc1. e7 7.e5 d6+ 8.e4 a3 9.f4 b5 In view of the threat 10 Bb8, Black decides to sacrifice a pawn to activate his knight. [ The desirable 9...d6 failed to 10.xd6+ xd6 11.d4 b5 12.xb5 b7 13.d3! , when White’s first move makes itself remembered – Krasenkow. ] 10.xb5 b7 11.f3! Avoiding any forks and getting ready to defend the g5-pawn if necessary. d6 12.d3 f7 13.e3 a5 14.d2! One particular feature of the bishop pair is that the enemy pawns can be attacked on squares of either colour. a4 [ Or 14...b4 15.xb4 axb4 16.f4 etc. ] 15.c2 c4 16.f4 b6 17.e4! [ Avoiding the pawn exchange after 17.d6?! e6 18.xg6 xd6 . ] 17...c5 18.e5 c4 19.f6 d6+ 20.d3 a3 21.c3! Unfortunately for Black, his barrier can’t be maintained due to zugzwang. e3 Knight moves would let the king enter via c4 – Krasenkow. 22.b4 The rest is easy: White soon destroys the blockade on d6 by means of his king and dark-squared bishop. c1 23.c5 f4 24.d3 c8 25.c6 d6 26.d8 f5 [ Or 26...c8 27.d7 d6 28.c7 etc. ] [ With 26...f5 Black sets the little trap 27.c7? e7+ , but Illescas is on his guard. ] 27.xf5! gxf5 28.d6 d2 29.d7 g6 30.d5 1-0
Ris,R Kotronias,V EU Championship, Liverpool [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2008
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11...cxb6 12.d6 d2 13.e1+ f6 14.d7 f4! This breakthrough decides the game. 15.f1 e6 16.e1+ f5 17.f1 f3 18.b1 [ Or 18.c7 h2 19.d8 xd8 20.xd8 e4 etc. ] 18...f2 19.b2!? f1 [ In view of 19...f1 20.xd2 c1+ , White resigned. ] 0-1
Alekseev,E Nepomniachtchi,I Havana [Johan Hellsten]
2010
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Material is even, but Black’s pieces are more active. With his next move, Kotronias opens a new front on the kingside. 1...h4! Such a majority attack is also quite common in the middlegame, and I touched upon the subject in 'Mastering Chess Strategy'. From now on, Black can either turn the opposing minority into a single pawn, or he can fix a weakness on h2 by a further ...h4-h3, which is what actually happened in the game. 2.g1 [ After 2.gxh4 xh4 , the lonely h-pawn soon becomes a burden for White; e.g. 3.e1+ d6 4.e2 c5! and ...Rh3+ next. ] 2...h3! Fixing a weakness on h2 and creating a queening scenario. [ The alternative 2...hxg3 3.hxg3 d4+ 4.c3 ( or 4.e3 a4! ) 4...g4 was interesting as well. ] 3.f1 g4 Aware that White can’t undertake much, Kotronias reinforces his pawn structure. 4.b4? Overlooking a counterstrike on the queenside. [ Passive defence with 4.f2 was called for, when Black could choose between e1 , preparing ...Rg1-g2, ( and 4...f4 5.gxf4+ xf4 6.e2+ f5 , in both cases keeping a clear initiative. )] 4...axb4 5.axb4 b5! A strong blow that leaves White’s pawn structure in ruins. 6.cxb5 xb4 7.c1 b3+! A typical intermediate check, by which Black displaces the enemy king before landing his rook on b2. 8.c4 b2 9.c5 xh2 10.c6 e2 11.b6 [ Equally hopeless is 11.xc7 xd5 12.b6 b2 13.b7 f4! etc. ]
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Black is about to win a pawn, but first it makes sense to restrict the enemy pawns. 1...g5! A strong advance that gains some space and prevents White from playing h2-h4, establishing an ideal defensive structure; [ i.e. 1...xb4?! 2.h4! , followed by 3 Rb6 with increased drawing chances. ] 2.f4!? Alekseev opts for active defence; [ , aware that after 2.b6 xb4 , followed by ...f7-f6, Kg6-f5-e5 etc, Black has quite a favourable version of the typical rook ending with a passed queenside pawn, which we explored in the previous chapter. ] 2...g4! Fixing a weakness on h2. [ On the obvious 2...gxf4?! , White had prepared 3.b6 xb4 4.gxf4 – Baburin, when the split kingside pawns makes it easier for him to create counterplay on that flank. ] 3.d6 xb4 4.d5 b2+! Cutting off White’s king from the second rank. As we will see next,
the bad location of this piece will play a crucial role in the remainder of the game. 5.g1 b4! Nepomniachtchi ignores the threat at h5 and instead prepares the transfer of the king to the opposite flank. We already know from Chapter Three that, in such positions, it makes sense to advance the passed pawn to the third rank before activating the king. [ In contrast, the materialistic 5...g6 6.g5+ h6?! leads nowhere after 7.f5 . ] 6.xh5 b3 7.b5 f6 8.f1 A sad necessity, abandoning the kingside in order to fight against the b-pawn. [ By the way, if the f-pawn was still on f2 then 8.b7 would have made sense, but here this just invites f5 9.xf7+ e4 , with the dual threat of 10...Kf3 and 10...Rc2 followed by 11...b2. ] 8...e7 9.e1 d6 10.d1 c6 11.b8 d5 12.c1 c2+ 13.b1 [ Or 13.d1 c4 and the king can hide from the checks on b2. ] 13...xh2 14.xb3 White has again managed to restore the material balance, but now the weakness on g3 takes its toll. f2! 15.c1 f3 16.b7 e6 [ 16...xg3 17.xf7 e4 18.f5 a3 19.f6 a6 20.e7+ f4 21.f7 f6 22.d2 g3 is another winning line – Baburin. ] 17.b6+ f5 18.b5+ [ 18.b7 f6 is useless, White has to help Black's king in improving itself. ] 18...e4 19.e5+ d3 20.f5 xg3 21.xf7 f3 22.f5 g3 23.g7 e2 [ In view of 23...e2 24.f6 f2 25.f7 g2 , White resigned. ] 0-1
Polugaevsky,L Tal,M USSR Championship, Leningrad [Johan Hellsten]
1971
(Diagramme) White is slightly more active, but Black only needs a few tempi to achieve ...Kf6, ...Be6 and ...Rad8 with a complete mobilization of his forces. Polugaevsky came up with a clever idea. 1.a4! f6?! It seems natural to bring up the king, but it was more relevant to prevent White’s queenside expansion.
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[ I suspect that during the rest of the game, Tal regretted not having played 1...a5! at this moment, which also fixes the apawns on squares of the “right” colour in relation to the bishops. ] 2.a5! Gaining more space and creating the positional threat of a5-a6. a6 [ Seeing that 2...e6?! 3.a6 ] [ or 2...b8 3.a6 leads to multiple weaknesses in his camp, Black settles for just one weak pawn on b7. ] 3.b2 The beginning of an impressive plan: a king transfer to b6! e6 4.c3! ac8?! Perhaps Tal played this in order to meet 5 Kb4 by 5...c5+, but changed his mind on the next move, which reduces the text to the loss of a tempo. [ The natural 4...ad8 seemed okay; e.g. A) 5.ed3 e7 6.b4 xd3 7.xd3 f5! ( after 7...d8?! 8.c5 , the king reaches b6 ) 8.gxf5 xf5 9.d2 d8 10.xd8 xd8 11.c3 c7 and Black holds the balance.; B) 5.xd8!? xd8 6.b4 might be more critical, when Black should try d5 ( 6...d2?! 7.e4 leads nowhere ) 7.d3 e7 . ] 5.b4 h5 Black makes an attempt for counterplay; [ after seeing that 5...c5+ 6.c3 would leave the b7-pawn badly exposed; e. g. c7 7.d6 ee7 8.b6 , followed by Red3. ] 6.f3! A technical choice. White doesn’t just keep his pawn structure intact, he also protects the e2-pawn in advance should Black manage ...Rd2 at some moment. hxg4
7.hxg4 cd8 8.xd8 Abandoning the d-file so as to hurry up the king’s march to b6. [ 8.ed3?! was less promising in view of xd3 9.xd3 e4! 10.xe4 xg4 . ] 8...xd8 9.c5 d4 With the double idea of 10...Bxg4 and 10 Kb6 Rb4+. [ The passive 9...d7 could be met by 10.d3 e7 11.d6 g7 12.e4! , followed by 13 Kb6, with Black completely deprived of counterplay. ] 10.c4! Simple and strong – Polugaevsky gives up the g4-pawn in order to secure the king’s arrival at b6. [ 10.d3?! f4 was less convincing ] [ but 10.c3!? , preparing b3-b4 and Kb6, also made sense. ] 10...xg4 11.xg4 xg4 12.b6 Triumph for White’s strategy, although there is still some work left to do. f4 13.f3 [ 13.xb7 xf2 14.xa6 was a more straightforward path to victory; e.g. f5 15.b7 f4 16.a6 xe3 17.a7 and the queen should prevail without much difficulty. ] 13...e4! Tal finds the only chance left for counterplay, but it won’t be enough. 14.xb7 e5 15.xa6 d4 16.xe4+ xe4 17.fxe4 g4 18.b7 White will be a few pawns up in the queen ending, and the rest is a matter of technique for Polugaevsky. g3 19.a6 g2 20.a7 g1 21.a8 c5 22.b6 c3 23.d5! Centralization, a typical idea in queen endings in order to exploit the power of this piece to the maximum. g8 24.xc5 xb3 25.d3+ b2 26.d6! With the strong threat of 27 Kb6. b3 27.b6+ c2 28.b5 g4 [ After 28...e8+ 29.c6 b8+ 30.a6 , Black´s checks come to an end. ] 29.d4 xe2 30.b6 h2 31.e5! b3 [ The black queen is denied the b8-square, and insisting with 31...h8 makes no sense after 32.d6 . ] 32.c5 f6 33.c6! Simplest, exploiting the fact that Black’s pawn on e5 will just obstruct his queen. fxe5 34.d5+ a4 35.b5+ a3 36.c7 1-0
Alekhine,A Euwe,M World Championship, The Netherlands (2) [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is more active, but who would guess that the battle would be over in just ten moves? A key role was played by Alekhine’s next, powerful move. 1.d3! Provoking the advance of Black’s hpawn, so that it can be more easily attacked. h6 The least of evils. [ After 1...xc3?! 2.xh7 , the white h-pawn becomes a giant ] [ and 1...h5 2.f5+ ( less clear is 2.g6 xc3 3.xh5 f5! , preparing ...Ne4 ) 2...d8 3.g4! e7 4.b1 has a similar effect. ] 2.f5+ d8 3.g4! Active king, with focus on the h6-pawn. White’s own pawn on c3 is less of a concern. e7 [ Or 3...xc3 4.h5 xa4 5.xh6 and the h-pawn decides. ] 4.b1 e8?! [ 4...d5 was more stubborn, cutting off the enemy king from the fifth rank. There could follow 5.e6!? (more provocation) f5+ 6.h5 d1 7.a2 d3 8.xh6 xg3 9.h5 and White keeps the initiative. ] 5.h5! The plan initiated four moves ago is completed. f7 6.a2+! [ Simpler than 6.xh6?! f5+ 7.h5 f6 , intending ...Rd8-h8. ] 6...f8 [ Obviously, 6...d5? failed to 7.c4 and 8 c5+ next. ] 7.xh6 d2 [ 7...f5+ 8.h5 d3 was slightly more
tenacious, although after 9.g4 fxg4 10.xg4 xc3 11.h5 , White should win anyway. ] 8.e6 d3 9.g4 xc3 10.g5 . In this hopeless position, Black resigned. 1-0
Michel Yunis,C Hellsten,J Santiago [Johan Hellsten] a
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Smyslov,V Keres,P USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
2006
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1951
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Thanks to his extra pawn and superior minor piece, Black is clearly better. With my next move, I provoke a concession in the enemy kingside before placing my bishop on d4. 1...g1! Forcing the white h-pawn to approach Black’s king, in similar fashion to the previous example. 2.h3 d4 [ There was in fact nothing wrong with the straightforward 2...g6 3.d5 g5 , but I wanted to restrict the enemy knight first. ] 3.b3 b6 4.e2 a6+ 5.b1 [ Or 5.a4 xa4+ 6.bxa4 f2 with ...Kg6g5-h4 next. ] 5...a1+ 6.c2 a2+ 7.d3 b6 8.c6? This won’t end well, but on other moves Black decides the battle by a king transfer to h4. b2! [ Seeing that Black wins a second pawn after 8...b2 9.c3 ( or 9.c1 f2 ) 9...a5 , White resigned. ] 0-1
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Several factors speak in Black’s favour: sounder pawn structure, superior bishop, and more active king. Keres realized his advantage in instructive fashion. 1...f5! Provoking the undesired g3-g4, after which White ends up with even more pawns on squares of the “wrong” colour. 2.g4 [ Unfortunately for White, 2.h4 runs into g4+! 3.e1 xd1 4.xd1 gxh4 5.gxh4 f5 , followed by ...Kg4. ] 2...b1 3.f3 f5 4.gxf5 [ Or 4.e2 f4 5.f3 fxe3 6.xe3 e4! with a decisive zugzwang – 'EDAMI'. In fact, White’s need to control the c2-square with the bishop is a dominant factor during the whole example. ] 4...xf5 [ 4...xf5 5.g3 e4 is less convincing due to 6.c2+! . ] 5.f2 e4 [ On 5...e4 White manages to keep the enemy king out by 6.h5! , heading for g6. ] 6.g3 g6 7.f2 [ After 7.h4 h5 8.h3 d3 9.g3 f5! , Black uses zugzwang to force through 10.hxg5 xg5 , with a huge advantage. ] 7...h5 8.g3 h4+ 9.f2 f5! Tying the enemy king to the h3-pawn. 10.g2 f6 11.h2 e6! [ More precise than 11...e5 12.g2 b1 13.f2 e4 14.e2 and the king can't enter. ]
[ After 11...e6 , Smyslov resigned, seeing that 12.g2 e5 13.h2 b1! , followed by ...Ke4, is hopeless for him; e.g. 14.g2 e4 15.f2 d3 16.f3 d2 17.e2 f5 etc – 'EDAMI'. ] 0-1
Karpov,A Illescas Cordoba,M Dos Hermanas [Johan Hellsten] a
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1994
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It is easy to see that the c-file will be a key factor in this endgame. Before starting to work on it, Karpov applied a subtle provocative measure. 1.a3! Provoking the advance ...b5-b4, so that this pawn settles on a square of the same colour as White’s bishop, while the c4square is freed for the white forces. [ It is important to effect this move before the enemy king joins the battle; i.e. 1.c1?! f7 2.a3 ( just as after 2.c6 xc6 3.dxc6 c8 4.c1 e6 ) 2...e7 and Black defends – Karpov. ] 1...b4 Practically forced; [ since 1...d8?! ] [ and 1...b6?! permit 2.c1 , seizing the open file. ] 2.b2 f7 3.c1 f4+ Evidently, the knight must join the battle as well. 4.e3 g5 5.d4! An ideal square for the bishop, where it controls the whole board. e7 6.c6! Now this is indeed strong – in contrast to the 1 Rc1?! subline above, White has a target on b4 to work on. xc6 7.dxc6 c8 8.c1 e6
9.b6! The strong bishop should stay on the board. [ After 9.c4?! c5! 10.xc5 dxc5 11.xc5 d6 12.f5 e6 , Black holds – Karpov. ] 9...c5 10.c7 e6 [ Karpov also indicates the line 10...d7 11.d4 e6+ 12.d5 xc7+ 13.xc7+ xc7 14.xc7 xc7 15.e6 and White wins. ] 11.c4 d7 12.xb4 xc7 The trade of the b- and d-pawns produced a white pawn majority on the queenside, which could soon turn into an outside passed pawn. Thus Karpov is happy the more pieces are exchanged off the board. Besides, this will help him to reduce enemy counterplay. 13.c4! e8 [ The more active 13...e6 permits 14.xc8 xc8 15.d4! xd4 16.xd4 and the outside passed pawn decides. ] 14.xc8 xc8 15.d4 b7 16.a5 c6 17.c4 d7 18.c3! Tying the knight to the defence of the f6-pawn. h5 19.a4 e6 20.d4! [ The obvious 20.b4?! would permit c7 21.b5 axb5+ 22.axb5 d5+! with counterplay – Karpov ] [ whereas after 20.d4 , c7 runs into 21.b6! with the idea d5+? 22.d4 . So Illescas looks for activity on the opposite flank. ] 20...f5 21.exf5+ xf5 22.d5! The king exploits the moment to get closer to the queenside. f4 23.b4 xf3 24.c6! The magic distance. Now the b-pawn becomes unstoppable. g4 25.b5 axb5 26.a5!? [ 26.axb5 h4 27.b6 g3 28.h3 was equally strong. ] 26...e4 [ The point behind 26 a5 is revealed after 26...h4 27.a6 g3 28.a7 ( though 28.h3 works here as well ) 28...gxh2 29.a8 h1 30.d7+ . ] 27.a6 1-0
Botvinnik,M Bronstein,D World Championship, Moscow (23) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1951
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Petrosian,TV Ivkov,B Bugojno [Johan Hellsten]
1982
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In exchange for the pawn deficit White has a powerful bishop pair, while Black is struggling with his passive knights. Moreover, the fact that there is play on both flanks favours the bishops, as can be seen by Botvinnik’s next, simple move. 1.f4! Provoking the advance of the h-pawn, so that it becomes more vulnerable. h5 2.exd5! At the right moment, ruling out any attempts at ...d5xe4, followed by ...Ne7-d5 – Botvinnik. exd5 3.h4! Fixing the h-pawn for the light-squared bishop, and creating a stronghold on g5 for its colleague. ab8 4.g5+ f7 5.f5 Preventing ...Nd7 and eyeing c8. a7 [ After 5...e7 6.h3! ( 6.xe7 xe7 7.g6 is somewhat less technical due to the risk of a theoretical draw with the h-pawn and the wrong bishop ) 6...bc6 7.g2 g7 8.xe7! xe7 9.b4 c6+ 10.b5 xd4+ 11.xb6 , the a-pawn soon decides. ] 6.f4 bc6 7.d3 c8 8.e2 g6 9.d3+ f6 10.e2 g6 11.f3 6e7 [ On 11...8e7 a good reply is 12.c7 f5 13.xd5 fxd4 14.xb6 – Botvinnik. ] 12.g5! Finding himself in a fatal zugzwang, Black resigned. [ If 12.g5 c6 , then 13.xd5 d6 14.f3 f5 15.c1! (Smyslov) is very strong, avoiding a fork on e4; e.g. b5 16.xc6 bxc6 17.a5 and White wins. ] 1-0
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White has obtained a dream ending from the King’s Indian Defence, where the absence of light-squared bishops clearly suits him. But how to make progress? 1.a5! Provoking new weaknesses. [ 1.b4 e7 is less effective. ] 1...b6 2.c6 g7 3.e3 f7 4.d3 e8 5.a4! After arranging his minor pieces in ideal positions, Petrosian launches a pawn advance to soften up the enemy queenside. d8 [ After 5...c5 6.xc5 bxc5 7.b4! cxb4 8.xb4 , the a-pawn is doomed; and other moves let White continue his plan by 6 a5, preparing Ndb4. ] 6.db4! A new provocative measure, to weaken Black’s light squares further. a5 7.a2 The virtues of White’s first and sixth moves become evident: Black’s queenside pawns have both been fixed on squares of the same colour as the bishops, and the white king can already consider an invasion along the f1-a6 diagonal. f4 Without light-squared bishops on the board such an avalanche won’t bring great success, but it is difficult to suggest anything better. 8.f2 g5 9.d3! On the way to a6! f8 10.h3 g6 11.c3 f6 12.c4! d7 13.b5 c7 14.a6! The threat of 15 Nb5+ now forces Black to a suicidal attack on the opposite flank. g4 15.hxg4 hxg4 16.fxg4 h4 17.d1! Limiting the enemy counterplay. [ 17.b5+ would have been less technical –
Shereshevsky. ] 17...xf2 [ Or 17...g3 18.xg3 fxg3 19.e3 , winning – Petrosian. ] 18.xf2 ce7 [ After 18...h4 19.g5 , the g2-pawn can’t be taken, and White decides matters by Nh3g1-f3 – Petrosian. ] 19.xe7 xe7 20.g5 With Black suffering on both flanks, the rest is easy. g6 21.g4 h4 22.a7 g6 23.h2! h4 24.f3 g6 25.b3! Zugzwang. f8 [ Black resigned at the same time, without waiting for 25...f8 26.h4 . ] 1-0
Botvinnik,M Kholmov,R Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1969
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Thanks to his more active king White is better, but this advantage could quickly evaporate if Black achieves ...b7-b6+, followed by ...Kd6. 1.g5! A key move that softens up Black’s kingside pawns for a later attack, by the knight itself or even by the king. f6 [ Here or later, 1...b6+ 2.d4 makes no great difference. ] 2.h7 f5 3.h4! Fixing a weakness on g6. [ It is important to use the h-pawn for this purpose: after 3.f4? the king can no longer use the c1-h6 diagonal, and Black holds after b6+ 4.d4 d6 5.f8 c6+ 6.e3 e7 – Dvoretsky. ] 3...f4
[ Kholmov opts for active defence, aware that after 3...b6+ 4.d4 d6 5.f8 c6+ 6.e3 e5 7.f4 , the g6-pawn can’t be saved – Botvinnik. ] 4.f8 b6+ [ Perhaps 4...f3!? 5.g3 f5 6.xg6 xg3 offered more practical chances, although after 7.d4 White soon ends up with an extra pawn anyway – Botvinnik. ] 5.d4 f5+ [ It no longer makes sense to play 5...f3 6.g3 f5+ in view of 7.d3! , ruling out the ... Nxg3 sacrifice. ] 6.e4 xh4 [ On this occasion, 6...f3 fails to 7.xf3 xh4+ 8.g3 ; e.g. f5+ ( or 8...g5 9.e6+ ) 9.f4 – Botvinnik. ] 7.e6+ c6 8.xf4 The threat of 9 g3 has emerged, and Black is now forced to try his luck on the opposite flank. b5 [ According to Botvinnik, when playing 4... b6+ Kholmov had overlooked that 8...g5 at this point runs into 9.g3! gxf4 10.gxh4 and White wins the pawn ending. ] 9.g3 f5 10.xg6 h6 11.e5! A final accuracy, assigning the knight to the queenside defence. a4 12.c4 b3 The pawn trade won’t favour Black; [ but on 12...b5 , White builds a decisive barrier by 13.b2 ] [ while after 12...b5 13.e5 xa3 14.c6! , the knight defends the pawn comfortably from the front, a topic that we came across in Dvoretsky’s study earlier in this chapter (Example 247). ] 13.xb6 xa3 14.d5 b3 15.f4 c4 16.c7 xb4 17.xa6+ 1-0
Seirawan,Y Adianto,U Jakarta (match) (4) [Johan Hellsten]
1994
(Diagramme) White is slightly better in this typical IQP endgame, thanks to the eternal weakness on d5. On the other hand, a single weakness usually isn’t enough for victory in the endgame; besides, in such a structure Black is happy to have a knight on the board rather than a bishop. White has just played Kg1-f1,
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activating his king; how should Black react? 1...xc1+? Quite a common endgame mistake: swapping pieces in the belief that the defensive task is made easier by such action. As we will see next, Black’s king will soon be missing in the battle. [ For this reason, 1...g7 , followed by ...Kf6, was preferable, activating his own king while awaiting the opponent’s next step. ] 2.xc1 c8 3.xc8+ xc8 4.e2! The knight hurries to attack the enemy pawns before Black’s king joins the battle. [ Less promising is 4.e2? f8 5.d3 e7 6.e2 d6 , when 7.d4 (?) can be met by e7 , heading for c6 – Seirawan. ] 4...g7 [ After 4...f8?! 5.c3 b6 6.e2 ( another idea is 6.a4!? a5 7.e2 e7 8.d3 d6 9.d4 – Seirawan ) 6...e7 7.d3 d6 8.d4 , Black is in serious trouble: his knight is badly placed at the magic distance from the enemy king, and White has a strong plan with b3-b4 and a2a4-a5. With the text Adianto plans instead to place his knight on the more flexible e7square. ] 5.c3 The right route, approaching the black queenside pawns. [ Less promising is 5.f4?! e7 6.e2 f6 7.d3 e5 , when the white knight has no interesting prospects from f4. ] 5...e7 6.a4! Again Seirawan takes the chance to attack the enemy pawns before the black king enters the stage. Now the threat of 7 Nc5 forces Black’s reply. b5 7.c5 a5 8.b7! In the spirit of provoking weaknesses. c6
[ On 8...a4 , Seirawan advocates 9.bxa4 ( instead, White could continue 9.d6 as in the game; e.g. axb3 10.axb3 b4 11.e8+! f8 12.c7 g7 13.e2 f6 14.f4! , preventing ...Ke5 while preparing g2g4 and Kd3-d4 ) 9...bxa4 10.a3 , fixing the a4-pawn as a target, though after c8!? , followed by ...Nb6, things might not be completely clear. ] 9.d6! Not so much to attack the b5-pawn but to reach e8, from where the knight will restrict the enemy king and also access an excellent post on f6. b4 10.e8+ f8 Black gives up a pawn in order to get his king to the centre. [ The odd 10...h6 might have been more tenacious, upon which Seirawan suggests 11.e2 g5 12.c7! d4 13.b5! dxe3 14.xe3 , preparing Ke4, with good winning chances. ] 11.f6 d4! Active defence. [ After 11...e7?! 12.xd5+ e6 13.b6 , White wins with less effort. ] 12.xh7+ e7 13.g5! The knight escapes before it is trapped by ...f7-f6, and completes a journey of ten moves in a row! As I mentioned earlier in this chapter, in the endgame this piece should often move around a lot. dxe3 14.fxe3 e5 A good square for the knight, where it protects the f7-pawn and temporarily restricts White’s king. [ The optimistic 14...a7 , heading for b5-c3, fails to 15.e2 b5 16.d3 c3 17.a4! etc – Seirawan. ] 15.e2 d6 16.f3! Thus the king gets access to d3, after which White’s extra pawn will start to make itself felt. d7 17.d3 b6 18.e4 f6 19.d4 A natural centralization. [ Seirawan also suggests 19.h4!? in order to create an outside passed pawn by g2-g4 and h4-h5. ] 19...a4 It is hard to suggest anything better. 20.e1 [ White now had a good choice in 20.e5+ fxe5+ 21.xe5 , but Seirawan prefers a more technical path. ] 20...axb3 21.axb3 d7 22.d3 Establishing a barrier. [ Of course not 22.c4? e5! with counterplay – Seirawan. ] 22...f8 23.h4! Creating some kind of zugzwang. [ 23.xb4 e6+ 24.e3 ( or 24.c4 f4 ) 24...c5 would be less technical. ] [ After 23.h4 Black resigned, in view of e6+ 24.c4 and White wins another
pawn. ] 1-0
Rubinstein,A Cohn,E Carlsbad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1907
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Thanks to his more active rook and king, White is a bit better, but Black holds for the moment. Rubinstein finds a great idea. 1.h3! Softening up Black’s kingside. [ The move order matters: after 1.g3?! g6 2.h3 c7 , Black defends better than in the game. ] 1...h6 [ After 1...g6 2.xh7 xc3 3.a7! , White obtains a big advantage, as demonstrated by Marin’s detailed analysis in 'Learn from the Legends'. One sample line is c6 4.g7! f6 5.b7 e6 6.h4! with 7 Rb6 next. ] 2.g3! In the same provocative spirit. f6 [ The king has to cede the d5-square to its counterpart, since both 2...c7 3.g6+ ] [ and 2...g5 3.h3! lose a pawn for Black. ] 3.d5 e6 4.f3+ e7 Thanks to the previous provocation White has managed to invade with his king, and Black is evidently on the defensive. But how to progress? 5.g3! Aware of Black’s potential counterplay with ... Rd6(+)-d2, Rubinstein takes prophylactic measures. The creation of a passed pawn with c3-c4 can wait until a more opportune moment – the opponent can’t undertake anything active anyway.
[ Instead, the tempting 5.c4?! permits bxc4 6.bxc4 d6+! 7.xe5 d2 8.g3 g5 with quite some activity for Black ] [ and 5.f5?! d6+! 6.xe5 d2 ] [ or 5.e3?! d6+! 6.xe5 d2 is similar ] 5...g6 Preventing 6 Rf5. [ If 5...f6 , with the same purpose, then 6.e3! f2 7.xe5+ d7 8.c5! , followed by Kb6 and the a-pawn soon takes its toll. ] 6.e3! Before commencing the advance of the c-pawn, White eliminates the ...Rd6+ resource by the threat against e5. f6 7.c4 bxc4 8.bxc4 The c-pawn has become a giant, and the rest is child’s play for Rubinstein. e8 9.f3+ Driving the enemy king away from the defence of the e-pawn. g5 10.c5 e4 11.h4+ [ The simple 11.e3 was strong too, both here and on the next move. ] 11...g4 12.f4+ xg3 13.xe4 a8 [ Or 13...d8+ 14.c6 , followed by 15 Kb7 – Marin. ] 14.c6 g5 15.hxg5 hxg5 16.c7 f3 17.e1 . Black resigned, seeing that after the trade of rooks and passed pawns, the location of White’s king decides. Note that this position would be drawn without the a-pawns – not without reason, a greater number of pawns on the board tends to favour the attacker. 1-0
Kramnik,V Polgar,J Novgorod [Johan Hellsten]
1996
(Diagramme) White has an extra pawn, but the enemy rook is quite active on the second rank. Kramnik found an interesting way of activating his own rook. 1.a3! Softening up Black’s queenside pawns. [ 1.d3?! e6 was less effective. ] 1...xb2 One of several unsatisfactory options. [ If 1...a5 , then 2.b3 in similar fashion to Example 289 (Rubinstein-Cohn), when after c6 3.b5 , preparing f4-f5, White’s extra pawn and more active pieces imply a decisive advantage. ]
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Smyslov,V Paglilla,C Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten]
1990
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[ After 1...c7 2.b4 Black is also in trouble – Kramnik; e.g. d7 3.c3 , heading for c6. ] 2.xa7+ g8 [ Unfortunately for Black, the active 2...e6 fails to 3.g7 f5 4.f7+ e6 5.f6+ . ] 3.f5! Of course. This advance clears a path for the king via f4-e5 and creates a strong passed pawn. b5 [ More stubborn than 3...gxf5 4.f4 b5 5.g6 – Kramnik. ] 4.a8+ f7 [ Or 4...g7 5.f6+ with the strong plan of Ra7+, f3-f4 and Rg7. ] 5.fxg6+ xg6 6.f4 b1 7.g8+ f5 [ White also wins after 7...h7 8.c8 g1+ 9.f3 h4 10.c6 – Kramnik. ] 8.f8+ e4 9.e8+ f5 10.e5+ g6 11.e6+ f5 12.f6+ White has finally got the rook where he wanted and can now start advancing his pair of connected passed pawns. e4 13.g6 b5 14.h4 [ Another good option was 14.f5 , preparing Rf7 and g6-g7, in similar fashion to Example 65 (Szabo-Keres) in Chapter Two. There could follow a1 15.f7 h4+ 16.g2! ( not 16.xh4? f4! ) 16...xa2+ 17.h3 a3+ 18.xh4 and 19 g7 decides next move. ] 14...h1+ 15.g5 h4 16.e6+ f3 17.g7 g1+ 18.f6 h3 [ Or 18...xf4 19.b6 h3 20.xb5 h2 21.h5 etc. ] 19.e8 [ In view of 19.e8 h2 20.h8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
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Again White is a pawn up, but two pawns stop three on the kingside. Smyslov found a hidden opportunity on the opposite flank. 1.a8! Provoking a weak point on b6, which can be used later on by his majesty. a6 [ In the event of 1...b6? , one refutation is 2.e6+ f6 3.xf6+ xf6 4.c8 . ] 2.e6+ Before reactivating the rook on a8, White centralizes his other rook again. f6 3.e5 f4 4.d8 f6 [ On the more active 4...c4 , White could reply 5.d2 , preparing 6 Re4. ] 5.d4! The time is right to send the king to b6. f4+ 6.c3 f6 7.ee8 a5 8.b3! Smyslov sticks to his plan. [ In contrast, the alternative 8.e4? was no longer beneficial, due to xe4 9.fxe4 axb4+ and ...Ke5 next. ] 8...axb4 9.axb4 g6 10.d6+ f6 11.d2 [ 11.xf6+?! xf6 12.a4 was less technical due to f5! , copying the opponent’s plan on the opposite flank. ] 11...f5 12.d4! A key move that prevents ... Kf4 and aims at deploying the rook on g4, where it will defend both of White’s more vulnerable pawns. As a consequence, the exchange of the other rook is no longer a concern for him. e6 13.xe6 xe6 14.a4 e5 15.g4 f6 16.f4! [ Black resigned, in view of 16.f4 gxf4 17.xg7 xg7 18.a5 and the king finally
reaches b6 with a trivial win – Smyslov. ] 1-0
Onischuk,A Salov,V Elista [Johan Hellsten] a
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1998
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Black is slightly more active here and the bishop outranks the knight. Even so, it is not easy to find a way to progress at first glance. 1...f5! A clever provocative move. The threat of 2...Bc4 now forces White to play g3-g4, after which his kingside pawns will be fixed on squares of the same colour as the bishop; besides, the f4-square is softened up for the black rook. [ Not 1...f3?? 2.xd5+ . ] 2.g4 [ Indeed, most other moves have clear defects; e.g. 2.d2?! f3 . ] 2...f7 Suddenly White is short of solid moves. 3.e1 f4! Salov at once exploits the weakness on f4; [ aware that 3...f4 4.xf4?! gxf4 , followed by ...Kc4-b3, would just make things worse for White – Ribli. ] 4.e3 f1! Looking for new targets. [ It was no longer beneficial to swap rooks; i. e. 4...xd4? 5.xd4 and White manages to activate his king. ] 5.c2! A good defence; [ as 5.c2 creates the threat of -- 6.c4+ xc4 7.a3+ . ] [ Inferior is 5.e2? h1 and White loses a pawn in view of 6.d3? c4 . ]
5...f3+ 6.d2 [ Not 6.e2? xh3 7.c4+ xc4+ with check ] [ whereas after 6.d2 , the h3-pawn is untouchable due to xh3? 7.c4+ xc4 8.a3+ again. ] 6...b3! 7.b4+! By a little combination White manages to exchange the active enemy rook, thus preserving the material balance, at least for a few more moves. axb4 8.d4+ c4 9.xf3 bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d5 Despite the departure of the rooks, White’s task remains difficult due to the multiple weaknesses on c3, e5 and h3. 11.e3 c4 12.h4 [ White was in zugzwang; e.g. 12.f2 e4 13.d2+ d3 and the c3-pawn falls ] [ or 12.d2 a6 13.f3 f1 14.f2 d3! ( but not 14...xh3? 15.h2! ) 15.e3 b5 with a new zugzwang – Hecht. ] 12...gxh4 13.xh4 xe5 Black has finally managed to convert his positional assets into a material advantage, and the ensuing endgame can be regarded as technically won. 14.f3+ d5 15.d2 b5 16.f3 a4! The bishop has found a new angle on d1. 17.g5 h5! As we discussed several times in the book, pawn exchanges usually favour the defender. 18.f4 c2 19.e5 f5 20.f3 c4 21.h4 g4! [ Salov avoids both pitfalls: 21...g6? 22.e5 xc3 23.f6 , heading for a drawn queen ending ] [ and 21...xc3? 22.xf5 exf5 23.xf5 d4 24.g6! with a draw – Hecht. ] 22.g6 xc3 23.e5 d3 24.d6 e4 25.e7 f4 [ White resigned, seeing that 25...f4 26.f8 g5 27.xg7 xh4 28.f7 ( or 28.h6 e5 ) 28...f5 lets Black stop the gpawn with his bishop. ] 0-1
Hellsten,J Ostenstad,B Asker [Johan Hellsten]
1997
(Diagramme) White has a huge advantage thanks to his sounder pawn structure and more active knight. A simple provocation measure helped me to accelerate the end.
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Minev,N Djukanovic,M Belgrade [Johan Hellsten]
1977
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1.h2! By threatening 2 Qc7+ (or 2 Qd6+), White provokes ...e6-e5, thus creating a powerful outpost for the knight on f5 and restricting the enemy queen. e5 2.g3 g6 3.f5+ e6 4.h1! The queen returns to the first rank, planning to invade the enemy camp via the d-file or the a2-g8 diagonal. e4 [ Seeing that the passive 4...g8 5.d1 f8 6.d3 would be fatal for him, Ostenstad opts for complications. ] 5.h2! Simplest, in order to exploit the reopened h2-b8 diagonal. [ Alternatively, 5.fxe4 was also strong; e.g. f6 6.d1 xe4 7.f3! , when both f6 ( and 7...e5 8.a1+ ) 8.d6+ lead to an easy win. ] 5...exf3+ 6.exf3 d7 7.f2! Prophylaxis against a potential check on e2. [ Less convincing was 7.e5?! f6 ] [ or 7.b8 e6 . ] 7...f8 8.e5 h7 [ No better is 8...e6? 9.d6+ ] [ or 8...e6 9.g7+ e8 10.xg5 . ] 9.e3 g6 [ After 9...f7 10.d6+ e8 11.b8+ d7 12.b7+ , Black loses his queen, as e6 runs into 13.c6+ e5 14.d6# . ] 10.d6+ [ In view of his hopeless position after 10.d6+ e8 11.xb6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
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When the bishop fights against three connected pawns, the weaker side can draw only with precise defence. 1...c1! Thus Black provokes the advance of the pawns to light squares, where they can be controlled more easily by the bishop. [ Instead, the game went 1...c3? 2.h7! g7 ( or 2...b2 3.f6 ) 3.e6! xh7 ( or 3...h8 4.f6 , followed by Kf7-e8 and wins – Dvoretsky ) 4.f7 h8 5.g6 b2 6.f6 and Black resigned. ] 2.h7 [ Or 2.g6+ e7 3.h7 b2 and Black has reached his goal. ] 2...g7 3.g6 b2 The bishop now controls all the pawns, though Black should be on his guard against a sacrifice. 4.e6 h8! The only move; [ after 4...c3? 5.f6+! xf6 6.h8+! xh8 7.xf6 g8 8.g7 , White wins – Dvoretsky. ] 5.f6 There is no other way to progress. xf6 6.xf6 . Stalemate.
Kotov,A Florian,T Moscow vs. Budapest match, Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1949
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Petrosian,TV Sax,G Tallinn [Johan Hellsten]
1979
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White enjoys a strong bishop pair and his knight has found a nice post on f5, but what to do next? 1.a4! Kotov provokes ...b6-b5 so that the enemy knight loses its retreat square on c5; moreover, the g1-a7 diagonal is cleared for the dark-squared bishop. [ Equally interesting was 1.d2!? hf4 2.a4! ( 2.ad1 e6 promises less ) 2...b5 3.c2 in the same spirit; e.g. e6 4.xd3 xd3 5.xd3 xd3 6.xa7 , winning a pawn. ] 1...b5 Practically forced; [ since after 1...c7?! 2.d2! , followed by Rad1, the pin on the d-file spells trouble for Black – Shereshevsky. ] 2.b3 hf4 3.d2 Having concluded the provocative measure Kotov reverts to normal play, fighting for the open file and preparing to bring the last piece to the battle. e6 4.ad1 b4 There was the threat of 5 Bxa7, winning a pawn. 5.d5! The knight on d3 is at last forced to retreat. dc5 6.d4! The exchange of knights will have a weakening effect on Black’s queenside defence; [ who can’t really avoid it because of the dual threats, after 6.d4 , of -- 7.c6 ( and 7.xe6 fxe6 8.xe6+ – Shereshevsky. )] 6...xd4 7.xd4 b8 8.b1 d3 9.b3! c7? In a difficult position, Florian blunders. 10.bxd3! xd3 11.f4 1-0
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Black is under serious pressure in this multipiece ending, and things got worse after Petrosian’s next, powerful move. 1.a5! Provoking the advance of the b7pawn, which will leave the enemy queenside badly weakened on the light squares. b5 [ After 1...b6 2.c6 d6 3.xd6 xd6 4.e2 , White also has a strong initiative, with ideas like b5 5.c4! . ] 2.c6 e8 [ Or 2...d6 3.xd6 xd6 4.e2 , preparing c2-c4, as in the previous note. ] 3.c4! Another key move, which clears the f1-a6 diagonal towards Black’s a-pawn. f6 The trade of the a6- and e4-pawns won’t favour Black; [ but he was short of better options; e.g. 3...b8? 4.xe5 . ] 4.cxb5 axb5 5.xb5 xe4 6.c4 The passed a-pawn now yields White a decisive advantage. d6 7.d5 h5 [ Equally hopeless is 7...f4 8.xe5 xc6 9.xf4 etc. ] 8.xe6 fxe6 9.c5 f5 10.c2 g7 11.b5 d4 12.c4! Simplest – denying Black any counterplay. d7 13.a4 f5 14.e2 . Covering the check on d1 just in case. In view of the imminent advance of the a-pawn, Sax resigned. 1-0
Karlsson,La Smith,Ax Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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Agrest,E Hillarp Persson,T Swedish Championship, Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten]
h
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2005
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Again White has a stable positional advantage, thanks to his bishop pair and control of the open file. In order to progress, Karlsson adopts a clever measure of provocation. 1.c5! Forcing Black to play ...b7-b6, which will expose the b-pawn to a future attack and leave a weak point on c6. b6 [ Perhaps 1...a8 2.a3 d6 was more solid, although it is unclear what should Black do next. ] 2.c1 f6 3.c6! Not only does White get rid of the active enemy knight on b4, he also manages to start an attack on b6. xc6 4.xc6 d7 5.d6 [ Here, and on the next move, 5.d4 also looked strong, but Karlsson has a different plan in mind. ] 5...f8 6.e4! A strong pawn break in order to wake up the light-squared bishop, while enabling e4-e5, reinforcing the rook on d6. dxe4 7.dxe4 e8 8.e5 c2 [ 8...c5 9.xb6 d1+ 10.h2 d2 seemed more active, although after 11.c3 xf2 12.g1 c2 13.xa5 , the connected passed pawns should take their toll. ] 9.c6 xb3 10.b5! The threat of 11 Rxb6 spells the end. e7 [ Or 10...d5 11.a3 with a complete paralysis of the enemy forces. ] 11.a3 c5 12.xb6 d1+ 13.h2 1-0
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In this minor piece ending, Hillarp, a pawn down, found a clear-cut path to a draw, based on a blockade. 1...b2! The b-pawn is sacrificed in order to deflect White’s king from the kingside. 2.c2 d4+ 3.xb2 e2! 4.g4 f4 Having provoked the g-pawn to a light square, Black can establish a dark-square blockade with his knight and king. 5.c3 h3 6.d4 f4 [ 6...f4 was just as good, since the knight will never run out of squares. By the way, such a blockade can fail if deployed at the edge of the board, as we already saw in Averbakh’s study featured earlier in this chapter (see Example 249). ] 7.d5 g5 [ Changing places with 7...g5 is also fine, of course. ] 8.e5 f4 9.f5 h3 10.e4 f4 Note, too, that if Black’s knight was a bishop and White’s bishop was a knight, then the latter would win without much effort, relying on the knight’s ability to touch squares of both colours. 11.e3 h3 12.d3 f4 13.c4 h3 14.f1 . Seeing that the knight never runs out of squares, White agreed to a draw. ½-½
Yermolinsky,A Kasparov,G Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
b
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1999
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8
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Thanks to his sounder pawn structure and superior minor piece, Black is better in the above position. 1...a6! The rook starts working on the weak white a- and c-pawns, while ceding the blocking square on d6 to its preferred user, the knight. 2.a3 e8! 3.e4 Thus White gets rid of his backward e-pawn and clears some space for the bishop. fxe4 4.xe4 d6 5.d3 a4 6.c3 c7 7.f2 Black’s pieces were considerably improved over the last moves, but how to progress further? b5! It might appear illogical to open the position for the enemy bishop, but this advance has several virtues: the d5-pawn is weakened, a passed pawn is created on the c-file, and Black’s king will be able to cross the sixth rank. 8.cxb5 b6 [ Of course not 8...xf4+? 9.e3 , followed by Rxc5+, and Black loses his passed pawn. ] 9.e3 c4! Simplifying to a minor piece ending with an extra pawn. [ Another good option was 9...d4!? , followed by ...Rxd5-h5. ] 10.c2 xb5 11.xa4 xc3 12.e8 [ Or 12.c2 c5 13.d6 xd6 , when both 14.f5 ( and 14.d4 b5+ ) 14...g5! favour Black – Hecht. ] 12...c5! King first! [ After 12...xd5+?! 13.d4 c3 14.a4 , White would have more chances for
survival, thanks to his active king. ] 13.d6 d5+! [ Less technical is 13...xd6?! 14.d4 with similar play to the previous note. ] 14.e4 f6+ 15.e3 [ Or 15.e5 xe8 16.d7 d6 17.d8 c3 18.e6+ c4 19.d4 b5 , winning – Hecht. ] 15...xd6 16.f7 c5 With a healthy extra pawn and more active king, the rest is a matter of technique for Black. 17.h4 g4+ 18.d2 [ The desirable 18.e4 fails to h6 19.e6 f5! 20.h5 g3+ etc. ] 18...d4 19.h5 gxh5 20.xh5 f6 . In view of the imminent advance of the hpawn, White resigned. 0-1
Berg,E Ernst,T Swedish Championship, Skara [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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In this position Black’s active knight on e4 hardly compensates for his defective pawn structure and bad bishop. Berg found a surprising solution, based on a blockade. 1.xe4!? Aiming at a minor piece ending, where the problem with Black’s bishop will be stronger felt. [ An obvious alternative was 1.b3 – Wedberg, but White perhaps wanted to avoid c5 2.xd5+ xd5 3.xd5 a4 with some slight counterplay for the pawn. ] 1...dxe4 2.e5 f6 Covering the weak b6-
pawn in advance. [ After 2...fd8 3.ed1 xd4 4.xd4 , White has a big advantage. ] 3.g4! Heading for the great blockading square on e3. [ The obvious 3.d7 could be met by e8! 4.g4 f7 5.d6 h5 6.e3 f6 etc. ] 3...g6 4.ed1 h5 5.e3 f8 6.d6! Limiting any enemy counterplay. xd6?! [ 6...gf6 7.xf6 xf6 was more stubborn, avoiding the minor piece ending. ] 7.xd6 f6 8.xf6 gxf6 9.h2! The king has found an excellent route to the action along the dark squares. f7 [ The restrictive 9...h4 fails to 10.f5 . ] 10.g3 g6 11.f4 c6 12.f5 d7 13.e3 [ There was nothing wrong with 13.h4+ f7 14.xe4 c6+ 15.f4 , but Berg has seen that by preparing a zugzwang he can win even more comfortably. ] 13...c6 14.h4! a5 [ Or 14...b7 15.f5 with a similar effect. ] 15.f5 d7 16.d4! f5 17.e5 1-0
Ponomariov,R Korchnoi,V Cannes [Johan Hellsten] a
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1998
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White has an undisputed advantage thanks to his strong bishop pair, and now threatens 2 Bf4. 1...b6! Korchnoi sacrifices the c7-pawn in order to establish a light-square blockade.
[ The passive 1...b7?! is well met by 2.f4 c6 3.c7 a4 4.f1! , limiting both of Black’s minor pieces, while preparing a king march to the opposite flank. ] 2.f4 a4 [ Another possible move order is 2...c4 3.xc7 a4 ] [ but not 2...a4? 3.c4 . ] 3.xc7 c4 The blockade is complete. White’s extra pawn on the queenside isn’t really felt, so he prepares actions on the opposite flank. 4.f2 f7 5.f4 Perhaps it was better to leave the bishop there, so that it can later attack the f6-pawn from d8 – Mikhalevski. h6! An important detail: once White decides to play g4-g5, Black assures a maximum number of pawn exchanges, thus making his defensive area more compact. 6.h4 b7 7.c1 c6 8.g3 b7 9.f4 c6 10.f3 b7 White has made all possible piece improvements and now goes for direct action. 11.g5 hxg5+ 12.hxg5 g6! In the same spirit as seven moves ago. 13.d1 c6 14.c2 [ Or 14.fxg6+ xg6 15.c2+ g7 16.g6 d7 and White can’t progress; e.g. 17.f5 e8 18.e6 c6 – Mikhalevski. ] 14...fxg5+ 15.xg5 gxf5 16.xf5 d6 17.c2 e6! [ Korchnoi is not tempted by the ending with opposite-coloured bishops arising after 17...e4+? 18.xe4 dxe4 , seeing that 19.f5! d5 20.a3 would leave him helpless against the plan of Ke5, d4-d5, Kd4, c3-c4, Kc5-b4 and Bf4 – Mikhalevski. ] 18.f4 Here a draw was agreed, although Black would still need to play precisely; [ e.g. 18.f4 b5 19.a3 e4! 20.b4 a3! 21.b3 ( neither 21.xa3 xc3; nor 21.xe4 dxe4 22.xe4 c4 leads anywhere for White ) 21...d2! 22.xa3 xb3 23.axb3 e2 24.e3 d1 25.b4 a4 and despite having two extra pawns, White can’t make progress. ] ½-½
Byrne,R Grefe,J US Championship, Oberlin [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1975
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a
White’s superior minor piece yields him a long-term edge in this position, and a sensible next step would have been 1 Nd2, heading for b1-c3-d5. However, Byrne went for a different idea. 1.g5?! White tries to force the exchange on g5, which would strengthen his pawn structure and facilitate a kingside expansion with f2-f4 later on. We will soon see the flaw to this idea. xg5 2.hxg5 b8! 3.xb8 [ In the event of 3.f3 , Black could choose between the solid c6 ( and the active 3...b2+!? , followed by ...a7-a5 ) 4.f7 b7 .] 3...xb8 4.f4 c7! Perhaps Byrne forgot about this option; [ only anticipating 4...exf4? 5.gxf4 c7 6.f5 d7 7.e3 , when White’s better pawn structure (one stops two on the kingside) should decide matters. ] 5.f5 d7 6.d3 a5! Locking the queenside before White’s king enters. [ In view of 6...a5 7.c3 a4 , the players agreed to a draw. ] ½-½
Bologan,V Miladinovic,I Bosnian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) With a healthy extra pawn and a sounder structure, White is much better, though the
2008
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presence of opposite-coloured bishops gives Black some hope of survival. Bologan found a fine manoeuvre. 1.f5! Heading for e4, where the bishop will immobilize Black’s e-pawn and control the whole board. Moreover, it can’t be chased away from there. g6 [ Or 1...d5 2.c2! with similar play ] [ but 1...h6 might have been a lesser evil, avoiding the exposure of the kingside pawns. ] 2.d7+ b6 3.e4 b4 [ The attempt to reduce material by 3...xa2 4.xh7 xb3 fails to 5.c1 – Bologan. ] 4.e1 d4 [ On this occasion, 4...xa2 runs into 5.d6! g5 6.xc6+ b5 7.e6 . ] 5.xh7 xa2 6.f7 d6 7.xg6 With two extra pawns, the rest is a matter of technique for Bologan. b2 8.b1! a2 [ After 8...xb1+ 9.xb1 d1+ 10.g2 xb1 11.xf6 xb3 , the enemy pieces aren’t well placed for a battle against the hpawn. ] 9.e4 d8 10.c1 b2 11.c3 e2 12.c4! [ Bologan doesn’t allow even the slightest counterplay after 12.f3 e1+ 13.g2 e4 , and instead reinforces his blockade. ] 12...b2 13.f3 e7 14.g2 h6 15.h4 d2 16.fc3 dd6 17.c2 df6 18.b4 d6 19.h3 f8 20.g4! With the clever plan of h4-h5 and Bg6, further restricting the enemy pieces. e7 21.h5 f8 22.g6 g7 23.f3 h8 24.g4 f8+ 25.g3 d4 26.e4 . In this hopeless position, Black resigned. 1-0
Savchenko,S Couso,L European Cup, Kallithea [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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[ If 11...f6 , then 12.d5 , heading for e3 – Ftacnik. ] 12.g5 hxg5 13.hxg5 e6 Black finds himself in zugzwang. [ 13...c6 was no improvement because of 14.d5 d6 15.e3 c3!? 16.e5+! c6 17.xc3 c5 18.f5 b5 ( on 18...gxf5 there follows the same reply ) 19.e6! e8 20.e7 gxf5 21.xf5 c6 22.d4 a4 23.e5 and White wins – Ftacnik. ] 14.c5 f6 15.gxf6 xf6 16.d5+ f7 17.b6 White finally realizes his positional assets, and the rest is easy. c8 18.xa5 g4 19.b4 e2 20.c5 [ Black resigned, a possible conclusion of the game being 20.c5 f3 21.d4 g5 22.fxg5 g6 23.e3 xg5 24.xc4 – Ftacnik. ] 1-0
h
In such IQP structures we often see a white knight occupying the blocking square on d4, as in Example 288 (Seirawan-Adianto) earlier in this chapter. Here, the knight already enjoys a good post on c3 where it pressurizes the d5pawn, thus the d4-square becomes available for its fellow pieces. 1.d4! Expanding the rook’s range while preventing any tactical shot with ...Nxf3 or ... d5-d4. a6 [ Unfortunately for Black, the desirable 1...c6? now fails to 2.xd5 . ] 2.e2 b5?! This advance only helps White to open a new front on the queenside. [ 2...e7 was preferable, with just a slight disadvantage after 3.f4 – Ftacnik. ] 3.a4! bxa4 4.xa4 a5 5.d4 c4? Don’t swap your active pieces! In the remainder of the game, the passive state of the b7-bishop will be strongly felt. [ The solid 5...c6 was better – Ftacnik. ] 6.xc4! xc4 [ Or 6...dxc4 7.d7 c8 8.a7 with a big advantage, thanks to the excellent rook on a7. ] 7.xc4 dxc4 8.e4! Preparing Ke3-d4. In Seirawan-Adianto we saw Black pay a high price for the delay of his king’s arrival on the battlefield, and here the story is repeated. e7 9.e3 d6 10.d4 a6 11.f4! Gaining some space and preparing to open a new front on the kingside. g6
Baburin,A Nakamura,H San Francisco [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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1.f4? Concerned about a check from the side, White misplaces his rook. [ The active 1.b3! was correct; e.g. a4+ 2.h5 xf5 3.f3+! , followed by g4-g5, with an easy win – Baburin. ] 1...g8+! Just at the right moment, when the enemy king can’t hide on f4. 2.f3 a8 3.g4 g5! The blockade is complete, and from now on Black needs only to make sure that the enemy king can’t cross the middle of the board. 4.e4
[ Obviously, 4.d4 a3+ 5.e4 xg4 makes no sense for White. ] 4...a3+ 5.e2 b3 6.d4 In the game White actually made a few king moves at this point, but then returned to the same position. a3 7.b4 c3 8.e4 a3 9.f2 b3 10.e3 b2+ Simplest, ruling out Re3-g3. 11.f3 b4 12.e8 f4+! 13.e3 xg4 14.g8+ xf5 15.xg4 xg4 ½-½
Kavalek,L Olafsson,F Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten] a
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1980
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As sometimes occurs, a sharp middlegame battle has evaporated into a roughly equal endgame. 1.c3 Stabilizing the queenside. [ On the tempting 1.c4 , Black could reply d6 , preparing ...b7-b5 with some counterplay. ] 1...d6 2.f4! Kavalek establishes a barrier against the black king. xb3 3.axb3 d7 It is time to activate the rook. [ An alternative in this sense was 3...d8!? 4.xh2 g8 , heading for g4, when White’s king is again marginalized from the battle. ] 4.xh2 e7 5.b4! The first step in the plan of creating a passed pawn. e1 6.g3 b1 7.d3 g6 8.c5! White is happy to trade the b-pawns since it will accelerate the creation of a passed pawn on the c-file. xb2 9.xb7 a2 Black defends against 10 Nc5 in advance;
[ but the active 9...h5 might have been better – Chekhov, and only if 10.c5 then a2 . ] 10.c4! The passed pawn moves forward. Objectively the position is still balanced, but in practice White’s moves are easier to find. a3+? A serious mistake, helping White’s king to approach the passed pawn. [ 10...c2?! is equally unconvincing in view of 11.a5 h5 12.b5! ] [ but 10...a4! would have created sufficient interference for a draw; e.g. 11.c5 ( after 11.d6?! xb4 12.f4 h5 13.e5 h4 14.c5 h3 , followed by ...Rb1-c1, White is even on the brink of defeat ) 11...h5 12.b5 axb5 13.cxb5 h4+ 14.h3 h5 15.d6 a5! 16.e3 ( or 16.b4 a4 and there is nothing better than 17.c5 , repeating moves ) 16...a3 17.xf5 a5! and White can’t make progress, e.g. 18.d4 a3 etc. ] 11.f4 b3?! A bad place for the rook, as we will see next. [ 11...h5 is equally unsatisfactory due to 12.c5 b3 ( or 12...h4 13.c6 h3 14.c7 h2 15.c8 h1 16.g8+ ) 13.c6 xb4 14.e5 c4 15.c5 – Chekhov. ] [ But 11...a4 , similar to the 10...Ra4 in the previous note albeit a tempo down, was quite feasible; e.g. 12.e5 xb4 13.d6 f4! 14.xf4 h5 with drawing chances. Compared with the position after 10...Ra4 11 Nd6 Rxb4 12 Kf4 h5, here the f-pawn is no longer on the board, but that might not be too significant. ] 12.b5! A strong breakthrough, possibly overlooked by Olafsson. axb5 13.c5 b4 14.e5 It transpires that all White’s pieces are excellently placed to assist the passed pawn. c4 [ Or 14...f4 15.c6 and the white passed pawn is the stronger one – Byrne. ] 15.d6 c1 16.xb5 The right capture; [ after 16.xf5?! b4 , Black would achieve counterplay. ] 16...f7?! In an already difficult position, this might be the losing move. [ 16...h5 was strongly met by the “curtain” 17.c3 ] [ but by 16...f4!? 17.xf4 h5 Black could have sold a pawn for a tempo, in similar fashion to the 11...Ra4 subline above. Here Black has lost the a6-pawn as well, but that might not be too important either. One idea is that 18.c3 f7 19.e5 h4 20.c6 h3 21.c7 e1+ 22.e4 can be met by xe4+!
23.xe4 h2 , queening with check. ] 17.d6! In pawn ending style, the white king assists the c-pawn while obstructing its black counterpart. [ In contrast, 17.d6+?! e7 18.xf5+ d7 19.d5 ( the materialistic 19.xh6? fails to c6 and 20...Rxc5+ ) 19...h5 yields Black chances for a draw. ] 17...f4 Now that the c-pawn has become unstoppable, there is nothing better. 18.c6 f3 19.c7 h5 20.c3! A well-calculated final blow. xc3 21.xc3 f2 22.c8 f1 [ Black resigned, not waiting for 22...f1 23.e6+ f8 24.e7+ g8 25.g7# – Byrne. ] 1-0
Georgiev,Kir Mitkov,N Skopje [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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This position should be about equal, but Georgiev managed to squeeze a full point by skilfully co-ordinating his minor pieces. 1.f3! A small, but important move that prevents ...g5-g4, fixing White’s kingside pawns on dark squares. Interestingly, in endgames with such a material relation it often makes sense for the side fighting against the rook to put his pawns on squares of the same colour as his bishop, in order to facilitate their protection and create strongholds on squares of that colour, such as e4 later on. e6 [ Black could have considered the active
1...c4 as well; e.g. 2.a5 c3+ 3.c2 a1 4.b3 xa4 5.xc3 e5 and a draw seems like the most likely result. ] 2.a5 Heading for the protected square at c4. e5 [ Obviously, the straightforward 2...d5?! 3.b3+ d4?? failed to 4.c6# . ] 3.c4+ d4?! [ Georgiev prefers 3...e6 , probably because the king will soon have to retreat anyway. White could reply 4.e3 f4 5.gxf4 gxf4 6.c2 , in similar style to the game. ] 4.e3 f4 5.gxf4 gxf4 6.c2+ The white forces seem to have been pushed back, but this is temporary. d5 [ Here, the desirable 6...c4?? obviously fails to 7.a3+ , so the king must move backwards. ] 7.e2! Eyeing the a6-pawn while creating a barrier against the black king. [ Besides, 7.e2 gets ready to meet c4? by 8.xc4+ . ] 7...b6? Very passive. The rook is famous for being a great attacker - and a lousy defender. Moreover, under this kind of material relation the side with the rook is required to play actively, exploiting the great mobility of this piece (compare Grigorian-Tal and DutreeuwHellsten, Examples 229 and 230 in the previous chapter), as otherwise the minor pieces will soon dominate the board. [ Perhaps Mitkov discarded 7...b3 8.xa6 in view of xf3? ( but 8...c4! instead would have yielded him sufficient counterplay; e.g. 9.c8 c5 10.e2 b2 11.f5 a2 ) 9.b7+ . ] [ Even 7...a5 was better than the text, as the rook stays in enemy territory. ] 8.c3 a5 9.d3! Georgiev prepares Be4, after which his bishop and f3-pawn will mutually defend themselves. [ At the same time, he prevents 9.d3 b1? on account of 10.e3+ . ] 9...b8 10.e4+ e6 11.a3! The knight returns to its preferred square on c4. By now it is clear that Black will have a hard time defending his pawns, while White’s pawns, conveniently located on light squares, are much more difficult to get at. [ Less constructive was 11.c4?! d6 . ] 11...b4 12.c2 b8 13.c4 a8 14.e4 a7 15.d2! Finally, White gets ready to use his king in the battle, exploiting the fact that the enemy rook is temporarily out of play. d6 16.c4 c7 17.b3 Black’s defensive
resources are exhausted, and the rest is easy. a7 18.b5 [ Sidestepping a final trap: 18.xc5?? c7 .] 18...e7 19.xa5 e8 20.c4+ 1-0
Back to Contents Page
Chapter Five
Queen Themes Mates and perpetuals Betting on the passed pawn Centralization Series of checks Exposing the enemy king Interference
Mates and perpetuals In endings with queens on the board, the possibilities of a perpetual check, or even a mate, increase considerably. We already saw a case of the latter in Topalov-Kasparov (in Chapter One), and here are a few more examples that feature these scenarios. Example 308 Zhu Chen-Zhao Xue, FIDE Grand Prix, Ulan Bator 2010 Example 309 J.Hellsten-F.Lindgren, Sollentuna 1995 Example 310 S.Brynell-D.Tijam, Oslo 2004 Example 311 B.Larsen-P.Keres, San Antonio 1972
Betting on the passed pawn As we already saw in Larsen-Andersson and Bareev-Chernin (in Chapter Two), betting on the passed pawn is a key idea in queen endings, due to the excellent capacity of the queen to shepherd the pawn home. Here are some further examples. Example 312 W.Unzicker-M.Taimanov, Wijk aan Zee 1981 Example 313 J.Hellsten-W.Iturry, Arequipa (rapid) 2005 The strength of a passed pawn in queen endings can also be exploited by the defender, as in the next example. Example 314 F.Caruana-L.Dominguez Perez, Wijk aan Zee 2010 Example 315 B.Gelfand-V.Akopian, FIDE Grand Prix, Jermuk 2009
Centralization Another key idea in endgames with queens on the board is centralization. Queens, in contrast to rooks, control more squares the more centrally placed they are, and the fact that usually only one queen can occupy the centre at a time makes the latter a treasured area. We saw proof of this idea inPolugaevsky-Tal; here are some more examples. Example 316 G.Lisitsin-J.R.Capablanca, Moscow 1935 Example 317
Example 317 M.Taimanov-S.Gligoric, Santa Fe 1960 Example 318 L.Milman-R.Hungaski, US Team Championship 2011 Example 319 Gi.Hernandez-V.Korchnoi, Merida (8th matchgame) 1996
Series of checks Another useful endgame idea involving the queen is a series of checks in order to bring it to a specific square or area of the board. Such action can have different functions; e.g. support a passed pawn, limit enemy counterplay, enable mate, etc. Here are a few examples. Example 320 S.Marjanovic-H.Schussler, Trstenik 1979 Example 321 E.Berg-M.Bosboom, Wijk aan Zee 2007 Example 322 L.Aronian-V.Ivanchuk, European Championship, Antalya 2004
Exposing the enemy king An idea closely linked to the previous theme is the exposure of the enemy king to future checks. Often it is managed by a pawn advance, as we already saw in Hellsten-Iturry (16 f4). Here are a few more examples. Example 323 V.Jansa-V.Korchnoi, Nice Olympiad 1974 Example 324 I.Platonov-B.Gurgenidze (analysis variation), USSR 1971 Example 325 P.Nikolic-Y.Seirawan, Wijk aan Zee 1995
Interference In any type of ending, interference with the enemy play is an important idea for the defender, and even more so in queen endings, considering the power of this piece. Here are some examples. Example 326 A.Alekhine-S.Reshevsky, AVRO Tournament, The Netherlands 1938 Example 327 Z.Ribli-B.Spassky, Montpellier Candidates 1985 Example 328 M.Taimanov-P.Keres, Gagra 1953 In the next example, a drawish outcome seems even more remote than in the previous one, but Black was finally rewarded for her stubborn defence. This example, alongside some of the previous ones in the present chapter, also highlights the fact that, in queen endings, a transposition to a pawn ending is always around the corner, due to the ease with which the queens can be exchanged. Example 329 L.Mkrtchian-V.Cmilyte, Krasnoturyinsk 2006 Chapter 6: Miscellaneous Themes Back to Contents Page
Zhu Chen Zhao Xue FIDE Grand Prix, Ulan Bator [Johan Hellsten] a
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With a bishop’s pawn on the seventh rank, White’s only matter of concern is a mating net. 1.b8?? A natural, but losing move. [ 1.a8! saved a draw – Baburin. ] 1...c5 2.c8+ [ The game actually went 2.a8 d7 3.b8 b6 and White resigned, in view of 4.c8 a7# . ] 2...b6 . Despite the material balance and reduced number of pieces, mate is inevitable.
Hellsten,J Lindgren,F Sollentuna [Johan Hellsten]
The fact that Black has an extra pawn isn’t too relevant here – as often occurs in queen endings, what really counts is who has the more advanced passed pawn. Anyway, his salvation was just around the corner. 1...f4! Preparing a perpetual. [ Instead, the game went 1...d3? 2.b7 f4? ( losing at once, although after 2...d2 3.xc7 d1+ 4.h2 , White should also win ) 3.c7 c1+ 4.h2 f4+ 5.g3 xf2+ 6.g2 f5 7.a8+ h7 8.c8 and Black soon resigned. ]
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[ Incidentally, 1...f8? 2.b7 is just as bad. ] 2.b7 There is nothing better; [ e.g. 2.c5 c7! 3.d5 f8 ] [ or 2.g3 c1+ 3.g2 d3 ] [ while 2.d5 permits d3! , intending 3.xd3 c1+ . ] 2...c1+ 3.h2 f4+ 4.h3 f5+ 5.g3 e5+ White can’t escape the checks; [ e.g. 5...e5+ 6.f3 d5+ 7.e2 c4+ .]
Brynell,S Tijam,D Oslo [Johan Hellsten] a
1995
(Diagramme)
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White’s unsafe king makes it difficult to profit
on the passed pawn, a fact that led Brynell into a fatal decision. 1.c3?? Saving the pawn, but abandoning the king! [ Actually, the queen is unable to protect both of them in this position; e.g. 1.a3 f1+ 2.h4 c4+ ( not 2...g2? 3.d6+ ) 3.h3 f1+ with a perpetual ] [ or 1.a8 h5! ( the slower 1...f1+ 2.g2 c4 3.d2 f1+ 4.h4 c4+ 5.f4 a6 should also work ) 2.a6 e2 and a perpetual along g4-e2 again saves Black. ] 1...f1+ Starting to weave a mating net. [ The game, haunted by mutual time-trouble at this point, instead saw 1...h5?? 2.e1 and White went on to win. ] 2.h4 g2! The right square, in order to threaten mate and prevent the check on c6 at the same time. 3.h3 e4+ 4.g4 f4! The mate is inevitable; [ e.g. 4...f4 5.c5 ( or 5.b2 e7+ ) 5...e1+ – Brynell. ]
Larsen,B Keres,P San Antonio [Johan Hellsten] a
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1972
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Black is a pawn down, but the reduction of the battle to one single flank and White’s exposed f6-pawn makes a draw quite likely. However, the game soon took an unexpected turn. 1.c3 [ Seeing that 1.f3 d3+ 2.f4 d4+ ]
[ or 1.f3 d2+ 2.h3 e2 leads to a perpetual, Larsen moves his queen a bit closer to the kingside. ] 1...d5+ 2.f3 a2+ 3.h3 b1 The threat of mate forces White’s king to retreat. 4.g2 a2+ 5.f1 a6+! [ It is possible that 5...h2 6.c7 h1+ 7.f2 h2+ 8.e3 g1+ ends in a perpetual, but the text is simpler. ] 6.e1 e6+ 7.f2 [ Thanks to the previous switch of angle for his queen, Black could now meet 7.d2? with d6+ . ] 7...a2+ 8.g1 b1+ 9.g2 a2+ 10.h3 b1 11.g4 The last resource, trying to clear some space on the kingside. h1+ 12.g3 g1+ 13.f4?! h2+ While White’s 13th move was rather optimistic – he should rather have contented himself with the perpetual – his next one is suicidal. 14.g5?? A fatal location for the king, where it will be subject to different mating patterns. [ After 14.e4 xh4 , Black recovers the pawn with a slight edge, but this was clearly White’s least of evils – Keres. ] 14...g3! All of a sudden there is no good reply to the threat of 15...hxg4. 15.e3 [ 15.c6? runs into e5# . ] 15...hxg4 16.f4 xf3 17.xg4 e3+ [ After 17...xg4+ 18.xg4 h6 19.h3 g5 20.hxg5+ xg5 21.g3 xf6 22.f4 , White draws. With the text Black continues playing for a win, exploiting the exposed enemy king on g5. ] 18.f4 e2! 19.g3 [ Black threatened 19...Qh5 mate, and 19.g4? obviously failed to e5+ . ] 19...b5+ 20.f4 f5+ 21.e3 xf6 Quite incredibly, White is already on the verge of losing – his h4-pawn is exposed and his king can’t get much closer to it. 22.g5 f1 23.g4 e1+! 24.d3 [ The more desirable 24.f3 ] [ or 24.f4 would let Black exchange queens, thus reaching a winning pawn ending. ] 24...e6 25.f4 g7 26.d4+ f6 27.b4 [ Or 27.f4 e5 28.g4 h6 – Keres. ] 27...f5+ 28.e2 h6! Black is finally ready to attack the h-pawn. 29.e1 [ After 29.f8+ h5 30.h8+ g4 31.h6 h5! , Black also wins – Keres. ] 29...h5 30.c4 g4 31.c5+ xh4 [ There followed 31...xh4 32.e7 f5 33.b4+ h5 34.c4 g5 35.f7+ h4
36.f8 g3 37.a3+ f3 38.d6+ g2 39.d2+ h3 40.d7+ f5 41.g7 g4 42.h8+ g3 43.e5+ f4 44.b8 e3+ 45.d1 g2 and White resigned. ] 0-1
Unzicker,W Taimanov,M Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
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1981
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49 and 50 (Krush-Akopian and MarshallTarrasch) in Chapter One. 10.c7+ e6 11.c4+ e5 Seeing that the black king will soon hide on b1, White resigned. [ There could have followed 11...e5 12.c5+ e4 13.c4+ e3 14.c5+ d3 15.c4+ d2 16.d4+ c1 17.f4+ b2 18.d4+ xa2 19.a4+ b1 and wins – Taimanov. ] 0-1
Hellsten,J Iturry,W Arequipa (rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
2005
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Black is a pawn up, but hanging on to it with 1...h5?! makes little sense in view of 2 Qg5+. With his next move, Taimanov instead bets on his main asset, the passed d-pawn. 1...d4! 2.xh6 e5! An accurate choice, in order to limit the enemy queen and enable ... f4-f3+. [ The immediate 2...d3? was premature because of 3.g5+ with a perpetual. ] 3.h4 d3! [ Of course not 3...f3+?? 4.g3+! and White even wins. The well-calculated text-move instead aims at deflecting the enemy queen with the d-pawn so that the fpawn can advance to the second rank. ] 4.d8+ g7 5.xd3 f3+ 6.g1 [ Unfortunately for White, 6.g3 runs into e2+! – Taimanov. ] 6...e1+ 7.h2 [ 7.f1 fails to f2+ – Taimanov. ] 7...f2 From now on, Black’s only concern is to hide his king from the queen checks. 8.g3+ f8 9.b8+ e7! The king gets ready to cross the board in search of shelter. We are already familiar with this idea from Examples
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White could take a pawn on f4, but I soon found a more tempting possibility, particularly in a rapidplay game. 1.d5! Transposing to a queen ending with a far-advanced passed pawn. [ On its part Rybka prefers 1.dxc5 , seeing that xe5 runs into 2.xe5 xe5 3.d8+ f7 4.c7+ f6 5.d6+ e6 6.f8+ g5 7.h4+! xh4 8.h6+ g3 9.h2# . Well, for a simple human plagued by time-trouble, I don’t think my solution is bad either. ] 1...xe5 2.xe5 xe5 3.xe5 xe5 4.d6 e8 5.d7 A passed pawn on the seventh rank is a huge asset in any queen ending, and Black now faces a difficult task. By the way, note that if the queens were rooks then the picture would change completely. d8 6.d5+ f8 [ 6...g7 7.xb7 f6 was more tenacious,
when White could consider the prophylactic 8.h3!? before taking the c-pawns with his queen. ] 7.xc5+ f7 8.xc4+ e7 9.e4+! [ Not 9.xf4?! b6+ , followed by 10... Qxb2. ] 9...xd7 10.xb7+ e6 Unfortunately for Black he can’t swap queens because of his pawn minus, thus he soon loses another one. 11.e4+ f6 12.xf4+ g7 13.e5+ Centralization. The rest is easy. g8 14.h3 b6+ 15.h2 h5 16.f4! Simplest, in order to expose Black’s king. f2 17.f5! g5 Both captures on f5 led to a lost pawn ending. 18.e8+ g7 19.e7+ h6 20.f6+ . In view of Qf7xh5 next, Black resigned. 1-0
Caruana,F Dominguez Perez,L Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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xf2+ is a theoretical draw – Golubev. There could follow 8.h3 f1+ 9.g4 e2+ 10.f3 e6+ 11.f5 e3 and White can’t easily progress. Compared with the similar ending in the final part of Example 311 (Larsen-Keres), here the stronger side is suffering from the fact that one his pawns is a rook’s pawn, which means that his king has fewer chances to hide from the enemy checks. Furthermore, stalemate scenarios are enabled. ] 5...b3 6.g5 [ Or 6.f7+ h8 7.xb3 xf2+ 8.h3 f1+ 9.g3 e1+ etc. ] 6...b2 7.f7+ [ After 7.g6+ h6 8.g7+ h7 9.f8 xf2+! 10.xf2 b1 , Black draws. ] 7...h8 8.g6 h6! Covering everything. 9.f6+ g8 10.e6+ [ In the event of 10.xb2 , one simple path to the draw is f4+ with a perpetual along g4-d1. ] 10...g7 11.f7+ ½-½
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Things look difficult for Black, who is not just a pawn down but also suffers from an exposed king. And how to cope with the threat at g6? 1...b4! Betting on the passed pawn. [ The passive 1...h6? led to instant defeat after 2.d5+ h7 3.e7+ . ] 2.xg6 xg6 3.xg6+ h8 4.f6+ h7 Black’s idea is clear: the b-pawn will deflect the enemy queen from the kingside defence. 5.g4 [ If 5.g2 , then d5+ , followed by 6...b3 ] [ whereas 5.h5 b3! 6.f7+ h8 7.xb3
Gelfand,B Akopian,V FIDE Grand Prix, Jermuk [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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Black has just played ...Qe7-c5, with some activity for the pawn. Gelfand makes a technical choice. 1.e2! Giving up the e-pawn in order to swap rooks and reach an endgame with queens and minor pieces, where the passed a-pawn will
become a huge asset. [ Other options are less clear; e.g. 1.e3 d5 2.e8+ h7 3.f3 c1! with the threat of ...Rb1. ] 1...xe2 2.xe2 xe5 3.f3 g5! 4.h3! Correctly preventing the ...g5-g4 pin-prick, which could come handy for Black on different occasions; [ e.g. 4.g2 g4 5.xg4 xg4 6.xg4 d5+ . ] 4...g6? Very slow. [ Akopian must have underestimated White’s reply, otherwise he would have preferred the active 4...e1+ 5.g2 e5! , intending ...e5e4 – Krasenkow. At this point, White could choose between 6.d1 , heading for c2, ( and 6.d5!? xd5 7.a8+ h7 8.xd5 , in both cases keeping some winning chances. )] 5.a7! A key move – the queen clears the way for the a-pawn, while keeping an eye on the opposite flank. Such a method is typical in pure queen endings, and we saw a related case in Example 55 (Larsen-Andersson). Curiously, Black can’t do much to prevent the enemy plan. g7 [ Again 5...e1+ , preparing ...e5-e4, seemed more active, although after 6.h2! e5 7.a4 , things don’t change much compared to the further course of the game – Krasenkow. ] 6.a4 a1+ 7.h2! The g2-square should be available for the bishop once Black plays ...e5e4. e5 8.a5 e4 9.g2 g4 10.h4! Very nice, depriving Black of any checks. e5 11.a6 d6 12.b7 e3 13.a7! [ Gelfand wisely avoids 13.fxe3? h5 and instead prepares a mating net. ] 13...e2 14.a8 e1 15.bc8 [ In view of 15.bc8 h6 16.h8+ h7 17.ag8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Lisitsin,G Capablanca,JR Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1935
(Diagramme) Thanks to his active queen and more compact pawn structure, Black is better. 1...d5! Centralizing the queen and ruling out
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any tricks with d4-d5. 2.e3 e5 This thrust helps Black to approach with his king; [ exploiting the fact that 2...e5 3.dxe5+? xe5+ would leave the b5-pawn doomed. ] [ An alternative strategy was 2...h4!? , followed by ...g6-g5, in order to gain space and fix a favourable kingside structure. ] 3.f4 [ Perhaps 3.b4!? was a better choice, preparing to swap the central pawns on the next move. ] 3...exf4+ [ Of course not 3...exd4+? 4.xd4+ xd4+ 5.xd4 , when Black is forced to secure a draw by e6 . ] 4.xf4 e6 The king gets ready to replace the queen on d5 at some moment. 5.h4 f6 6.e3 [ The attempt to swap queens by 6.e2+ d6 7.e4 runs into g5+ 8.hxg5 xg5+! 9.f3 xb5 10.f4+ d7! , keeping the extra pawn, since 11.xf6? fails to c6+ and the outside passed pawn decides, as we already established in Chapter Two. ] 6...c4 7.g3 [ 7.b1!? c3+ 8.e2 was more active; e. g. f5 9.a2+ d6 10.a8! with some counterplay. ] 7...g5! Opening a new front on the kingside. [ 7...d5?! 8.g2+ was less constructive. ] 8.hxg5 fxg5 9.h2? A misguided counterattack. [ The immediate 9.e4 was correct; e.g. g4 10.f4 f6 11.e4 e6+ 12.d3 d5 13.f2+ g6 , when Black keeps a clear, but not decisive advantage. ] 9...b3+ 10.e4 g4! By creating a mating
threat on f3, Black finally wins a pawn, and the rest is easy for Capablanca. 11.e2 xg3 12.c4+ e7 13.c8 f3+ 14.e5 f6+! 15.d5 d6+ . In view of 16...Qe6+, White resigned. 0-1
Taimanov,M Gligoric,S Santa Fe [Johan Hellsten] a
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The position looks about equal, but White has a small trump in his outside passed pawn. 1.d4+! Bringing the queen a bit closer to the action. [ Less to the point was 1.a4?! c4 , with ...d5-d4 next. ] 1...e6?! [ Black should have challenged the opponent’s idea by 1...e5 , as after 2.xe5+ xe5 , the outside passed pawn is compensated by the active black king; e.g. 3.a4 d4 4.f2 ( or 4.a5? c5 5.f2 b5 6.e3 xa5 7.d4 g5! and so on ) 4...c4 5.f4 b4 6.e3 c3! 7.e2 c2 with a draw by repetition. ] 2.d3! f6 This defence of g6 costs a pawn; [ but Gligoric wasn’t keen on 2...g7 3.a4 , when the a-pawn spells big trouble for Black. ] 3.xd5 c2+ 4.h3 c1?! Exposing the queen to an exchange on f4, a fact that Taimanov exploits. [ Instead, 4...c8+? failed to 5.h4! ] [ but 4...g5! would have put up more
resistance – Shipov ] [ while 4...f2 5.f4 f1+ 6.g2 d1 also offered him drawing chances – Taimanov. ] 5.d4+! e6 [ The king is forced to abandon the pawns, since both 5...f7 6.f4+ ] [ and 5...g5 6.e5+ h6 7.f4+! let White swap queens. Similarly, the king can’t go to the f-file next move either. ] 6.e4+ d7 7.h4! Very nice, parrying the mate and activating the king at the same time. d2 8.e5! Safeguarding the g3-pawn, while indirectly preparing the trade of the pawns on a2 and g6. [ 8.xg6?! (or 8 a4?) was less opportune due to h2+ and 9...Qxg3+. ] 8...xa2 9.g5 f2 [ Or 9...f7 10.f6 – Taimanov. ] 10.f4 b6 11.f7+ c8 12.xg6 d8+ [ On 12...e3+ , Taimanov had planned 13.xh5 xf3+ 14.g4+! , and the same situation is reached two moves later. ] 13.xh5 d5+ 14.h4 b8 15.g5 d1 The rest is easy, with the pawns shielding the king. 16.f4+ a7 17.e3+ a6 18.g4 d6 19.f4 h6+ 20.g3 b5 21.d3+ a4 22.g5 1-0
Milman,L Hungaski,R US Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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The centralization idea can also come handy
in the presence of more pieces on the board. Here Black enjoys a healthy extra pawn, but before starting its advance he decides to limit the enemy queen. 1...d4! A perfect place for the queen, where she controls a lot of important squares and even eyes the f2-pawn. [ The obvious 1...a5 was less practical because of 2.g7! a4 3.b2+ with ideas like b3 4.d4 a3? 5.d6+ b5 6.e2+ b4 7.b6+ and White even wins ] [ while 1...a5 at once also complicates things, in view of 2.c7+ b4 3.b6+ c3 4.a5+ b4 5.a1+ . ] 2.f8 The following series of checks doesn’t really lead White anywhere, but it was difficult to give him good advice. a5 King first! [ Of course 2...a5? 3.b8+ a6 4.e2+ had to be avoided. ] 3.b8 d3 4.c7+ b4 5.b7+ c3 6.c7+ b2! [ Less is promised by 6...d2?! 7.a5+ . ] 7.b7+ c1 8.c7+ c5 Forcing an easily won minor piece ending. 9.c6 d2 10.xc5 xc5 11.g4 fxg4 12.xg4 a5 13.f4 a4 14.f5 exf5 15.xf5 a3 16.b1 c1 17.a2 b2 . In view of 18...Nb3 coming next, White resigned. 0-1
Hernandez,Gi Korchnoi,V Merida (match) (8) [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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Thanks to his more active queen and the
chronic weakness on d4, Black is a bit better. His first priority is to improve the queen. 1...f5+ 2.c1 d5! The weak d4-pawn is already starting to make itself felt. 3.f2 f5 The next step in Black’s plan is to open a new front on the kingside by ...h6-h5-h4 and ...Kh7g6-h5 – Gershon. 4.c2 c4+ 5.d2 b3 6.c1 d3 Korchnoi adjusts his plans slightly and regroups the queen to e4. 7.d2 e4! Here and later, Black has no reason to swap his active queen. 8.b3 g7 Resuming the plan indicated in the third note. 9.a4 g6 10.d1 [ After 10.b2 h5 , it is not clear what should White do next. ] 10...e3+ 11.c2 h5 12.d3 [ Obviously, 12.d5? failed to c5+ . ] 12...f2+ 13.d2 g1 14.b2 h4! Finally, Black’s play takes concrete shape. 15.gxh4 h5 16.d5! Seeing that he is being left with weak pawns on the kingside, Hernandez looks for counterplay on the rest of the board. exd5 17.xd5 xh2+ 18.a3 xf4 19.xb7 [ 19.xf7+ xh4 20.xb7 was preferable – Hecht, when Black could consider d6+ 21.a2 d2+ 22.a3 f4 , keeping some chances for a win. ] 19...d6+ 20.a2 d2+ 21.a3 c1+ 22.b4?! This just helps the black queen to find a better square on e6; [ so 22.a2 was preferable – Hecht. ] 22...e1+ 23.b5 [ In the event of 23.a3 a1+ 24.b4 d4+! , Black manages to centralize his queen, with definite winning chances after 25.a3 f4 26.xf7+ xh4 . ] 23...e6! 24.b4?! [ Or 24.xa7 xb3+ 25.a5 f4 with similar play to the previous note ] [ but 24.f3+ first was a better move order; e.g. xh4 25.f4+ h5 26.b4 with more resistance than in the game. ] 24...f4! Betting on the passed pawn. 25.f3+ [ After 25.xa7 f3 26.a8 e2+ 27.b6 f2 , Black wins by using the enemy h-pawn as a shield; e.g. 28.h8+ g4 29.g7+ h3 30.c3+ h2 31.c7+ g2 32.c6+ f3 33.c2 h1 – Gershon. ] 25...g4 This resource would not have been possible had White played 24 Qf3+ first. 26.d5+ xh4 27.h1+ g5 28.c1 d7+ [ In view of 28...d7+ 29.a5 ( or 29.a6 xa4+ 30.b7 xb4+ ) 29...d8+ 30.b5
b6+ 31.c4 c6+ – Hecht, White resigned. ] 0-1
Berg,E Bosboom,M Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
Marjanovic,S Schussler,H Trstenik [Johan Hellsten] a
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a
1979
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h
b
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2007
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8
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A series of checks helped White to realize his advantage more comfortably. 1.b8+! [ Another good option was 1.e4!? xe4 2.a6 in similar fashion to Example 315 (Gelfand-Akopian). ] 1...h7 [ Or 1...g7 2.b2+ f6 3.a6 with similar effect. ] 2.b1+ f5 3.a2 An ideal location for the queen. h5 [ After 3...f4 4.exf4 gxf4 , White could win by both 5.a6 ( and 5.c2+ , followed by a timely Qc7+ and Qxf4 – Marjanovic. )] 4.a6 h4 5.a7 The rest is easy. hxg3+ 6.fxg3 a8 7.xe6 xa7 8.xf5+ h6 9.f6+ h7 10.xg5 . Three pawns down is at least one too many, and Black resigned. 1-0
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Thanks to his advanced passed pawn White should be winning, but how to progress? 1.c8+! Berg initiates a series of checks in order to improve his queen. [ Note that the lazy 1.c6? , preparing b5-b6, would fail to b4+ with a perpetual. ] 1...h5 [ The king must retreat, since both 1...f3 ] [ and 1...xg3 let White swap queens by 2.c3+ . ] 2.h3+ g6 3.e6+ h5 4.e2+ g6 [ Or 4...g4 5.e5+ g6 6.d6+ h5 7.c5+ g6 8.c6+! g5 9.b6 with similar play as in the game. ] 5.d3+ h5 6.f3+ g6 7.c6+! h5 On c6 the queen proves ideally placed, assisting the passed pawn and protecting the king at the same time. Thus the moment is right to advance the pawn. 8.b6 e5+ [ Contrary to the 1 Qc6 subline above, here 8...b4+ does not lead to a perpetual, in view of 9.a2 a5+ 10.b3! – Berg. ] 9.a2 xg3 Now White is allowed to queen; [ but as just seen, 9...a5+ 10.b3 doesn’t help. ] 10.e8+! h4 11.b7 c7 12.b8 xc2+ 13.b2 1-0
Aronian,L Ivanchuk,V European Championship, Antalya [Johan Hellsten] a
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2004
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Such endings are easier for the attacker to play than the defender, and theoretically drawn positions often end up being won anyway. 1...h6+! By a series of checks Ivanchuk aims at improving his queen, and only then advance the pawn. [ In contrast, the hasty 1...e3?! permits 2.f1+ g3 3.g1+ with some annoying checks. Incidentally, there is a “merry-goround” perpetual in queen endings, where the king is skewed by the queen wherever he moves; e.g. in this case (supposing there was one more file on the right of the board) 3 Qi1+ Kg4 4 Qi4+ Kg5 5 Qi7+ etc. ] 2.d5 [ Or 2.f5 h3+ , transposing to the game ] [ while 2.f7 can be met by h5+ 3.e7 h4+ 4.f7 e3 5.f1+ f2 and it is Black who gives check on the next move. ] 2...d2+ 3.e5 [ After 3.e6 e3 4.f1+ g3 5.g1+ f4! 6.f1+ f2 7.c4+ g3 , the pawn’s advance is just a question of time; e.g. 8.c7+ f4 9.c3 f2 10.c5 e4+ 11.d6 f1 12.c1+ g2 , followed by 13...e2. ] 3...h2+ 4.f5 h3+ 5.g5 e3! With the queen covering the f1- and h1-squares, the moment is right for this advance. 6.f6+ g3 7.e5+ f2 8.d4 [ After 8.f4+ f3 , there are no good
checks available anymore, so Aronian instead places his hopes in the pin along the g1-a7 diagonal. ] 8...f3 [ 8...g3+ 9.h6 g2 10.b2+ h3 was simpler – Ivanchuk, a plan that he soon realizes in the game anyway. ] 9.h4 h1+ 10.g4 g2+ 11.h5 g3 12.c5 [ If 12.h6 then g2 , heading for h3, in similar fashion to the game. ] 12...f4! The king should hide on h3. 13.b6 g3 14.g6+ h3 15.d3 e5+ 16.h6 g3 . Unable to meet the threat of ...Kf2 and e3-e2, White resigned. 0-1
Jansa,V Korchnoi,V Nice Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1974
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White is about to win a second pawn, but some accuracy is still required. 1.g6! Exposing the enemy king. [ Instead, the game went 1.f6? c7+! 2.xh3 ( or 2.f4 c2+ 3.xh3 b3+ and the b-pawn falls anyway ) 2...d7+ 3.h4 xb5 4.g6 b4+! (before taking on g6, Black avoids a queen exchange) 5.g3 b3+ 6.f3 fxg6 7.xg6+ f8 and a draw was soon agreed. ] 1...fxg6 [ After 1...c7+ 2.xh3 c3+ 3.g2 fxg6 4.xg6+ f8 5.h6+! , White soon forces a queen exchange, just as in the main line. ]
2.xg6+ f8 [ If 2...h8 , then 3.h6+ g8 4.g5+ h8 5.h4+ g8 6.g3+ . ] 3.d6+ f7 4.f4+! e8 [ Or 4...g6 5.g3+ . ] 5.e3+ xe3 6.fxe3 . White wins – Jansa.
Platonov,I Gurgenidze,B USSR (analysis variation) [Johan Hellsten] a
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d
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1971
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Nikolic,P Seirawan,Y Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
b
c
1995
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8
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Black is on the verge of losing, but by exposing the enemy king to checks he can still save a draw. 1...f5! Heading for f4 in order to create checking possibilities on g3-e1 before White prevails on the opposite flank. [ Less convincing is 1...g4?! 2.hxg4 h3 ( not 2...xg4?? 3.g8+ ) 3.g8+ f6 4.d8+ g7 5.d3 hxg2+ 6.xg2 and White keeps some chances for a win. ] 2.b6 f4! Simplest; [ though 2...g4 also works – Gufeld; e.g. 3.hxg4 fxg4 4.b7 e1+ 5.h2 e6! , preparing 6...g3+. ] 3.b7 [ Or 3.h2!? b3! , eyeing the g3-square. ] 3...e1+ 4.h2 g3+ . Draw.
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In this tense position Black has the more advanced passed pawn, but even so he is in trouble due to his unsafe king and the fact that White is to move. 1.g8+! Before placing his queen on the strong c4-square, Nikolic brings out the enemy king so as to expose it to future checks. [ Instead, 1.b6? d2 only leads to a draw ] [ while the immediate 1.c4?! is also unconvincing in view of g7! 2.b6 b2 . ] 1...f5 2.c4! A typical pin in queen endings. Now it is difficult for Black to find a good move. c2 [ After 2...g6? 3.b6 , Black can no longer play b2 due to 4.xd3+ with check ] [ while the pawn ending that emerges after 2...e4+ 3.xe4+ xe4 is won for White thanks to his outside passed pawn: 4.f1! d4 5.e1 c5 ( or 5...c3 6.d1 ) 6.d2 xb5 7.xd3 h5 ( if 7...c5 , then 8.e4 d6 9.f5 e7 10.g6 etc ) 8.e4 c4 9.f4! , followed by Kf5 – L.B. Hansen; ( but not 9.f5? d3! with a draw soon. )] 3.d5+ g6 4.b6 b1 [ The desirable 4...d2 fails to 5.g8+! h5 ( or 5...f5 6.h7+ ) 6.h3! with decisive mating threats – Seirawan; e.g. g6 7.g4+ g5 8.d5+ f5 9.xd2+ etc. ] 5.b7 d2 6.g8+! The story is repeated. h5
[ Now 6...f5 7.h7+ costs Black the queen, so he has to expose his king to a mating attack. ] 7.f7+ g5 [ In the event of 7...g6 , White wins by 8.g4+ g5 9.f4+! xf4 10.b8+ . ] 8.f4+! g4 9.e6+ h5 Other replies lead to mate in one. 10.b8! [ In view of 10.b8 d1 ( or 10...xb8 11.f5# ) 11.h3+ g6 12.g8# , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Ribli,Z Spassky,B Montpellier Candidates [Johan Hellsten]
Alekhine,A Reshevsky,S AVRO Tournament, The Netherlands [Johan Hellsten] a
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a h 8
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1985
1938
8
a
3...g5 Denying White further expansion on the kingside. 4.f2 d6! Some useful interference. 5.f1 a6+ 6.g2 g7 Marking time, awaiting White’s next step. 7.b2+ g8 8.b8+ g7 9.e5+ g8 10.f2 a7+ 11.e2 a6+ 12.d2 c4! Very clever, obstructing the way for White’s king. 13.f5 d4+ 14.e2 b2+ 15.d3 b3+ 16.e2 b2+ ½-½
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Black’s task is difficult, but the fact that White has weakened his kingside with f2-f3 gives hope of a successful defence. 1...c6! Heading for the great square on a6, from which the queen will control the a-pawn and eye the opposite flank at the same time. 2.a5 a6 3.g4 Trying to create a shelter for the king on g3. [ After 3.d5 g7 4.d4+ g8 5.b6 e2+! 6.f2 a6 , White hasn’t made progress – Speelman. ] [ If the queens were rooks, then a king march to the opposite flank would be White’s natural plan, but here the king will have nowhere to hide from the checks; e.g. 3.f2 a7+ 4.e2 a6+ 5.e3 a7+ 6.d3 a6+ 7.d4 a7+ 8.c4 a6+ 9.b4 d6+ 10.a4 c6+ . ]
Here White’s king is much better protected than in the previous example, so Black has to look for alternative ways of interfering with the opponent’s play. 1...d1+ 2.h2 c2 3.d4 c7 We will soon see that, from here, the queen has better chances of creating counterplay than on a2, which, by the way, would be the right angle in a rook ending. 4.e4+ g7 5.a8! White is ready to move the passed pawn forward, in similar fashion to Example 315 (Gelfand-Akopian). f5! The only chance for counterplay lies in exposing the enemy king by ...f5-f4. 6.d5 [ After 6.a5 f4 7.gxf4 xf4+ 8.g2 g3! , Black keeps chances for a draw. ] 6...a7! [ Not 6...f4? 7.d4+ ( or 7.g5+ . With the text Spassky manages to take the a-pawn, thus limiting the battle to one
single flank. )] 7.xf5 xa4 8.xh5 e4 9.g5+ h7 10.h5 f3! Keeping up the active defence. 11.g6+ h8 12.h6+ g8 13.f4 d1 14.g5+ [ After 14.h6 h7 15.g5 ( or 15.f6 ) 15...d7! , it won’t be easy for White to win, since the pawn ending arising after the exchange on g7 is drawn unless he already has his king on f1, a scenario that Black will prevent by means of queen checks. ] 14...h7 15.f5+ g7 16.e4 Ribli finally opts for a new plan: a timely f2-f4 to liberate his king. h8 17.g2 g7 18.f4!? gxf3+! [ After 18...d2+ 19.f1 d1+ 20.f2 d2+ 21.e2 d4+ 22.e3 b2+ 23.e1 b1+ , it is not clear how White can make progress either. Nevertheless, the text is simpler, leaving the opponent with the “bad” g- and h-pawns, a kind of theoretical draw that we already came across within Example 314 (Caruana-Dominguez). ] 19.xf3 c2+ 20.h3 d2 21.g4+ h8 22.h6?! Tempting, but now Black can start looking for stalemate motifs. [ Instead, Ribli recommends 22.e4 , preparing g3-g4, when c1 23.g4 d2 24.h4 g7 25.g5 f2+ 26.g4 g1+ 27.f5 f2+ 28.f4 c2+ is one possible defence – Nalimov’s tablebases. ] 22...b2! [ Not 22...xh6+? 23.h4 h7 24.g4! and White wins – Ribli. ] 23.h4?! [ Something like 23.e6 would have been more promising in practice; e.g. c3 24.h4 h7 (for some reason, the only move) 25.g4 and here Black must find c7! , enabling a check on h2 – Nalimov’s tablebases. ] 23...h2+ 24.g5 [ Or 24.h3 d2! – Ribli, when 25.h5 can be met by d5+ 26.g6 e6+! . ] 24...xh6+! ½-½
Taimanov,M Keres,P Gagra [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1953
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On this occasion, the defender’s task is even more difficult, being two pawns down and about to lose a third one. However, Keres spots a strong plan in practice: attack the f3pawn with both pieces in order to create a passed pawn. 1.b6+ g5! 2.xa5 e2 [ Of course not 2...f4? 3.e5+ . ] 3.c3 f4 4.a2 Now that 4...Qd1+ can no longer be met by 5 Qc1 check, Taimanov parries this threat in advance. h4 5.d5 g3 Black has improved his pieces to a maximum, and further actions now depends on White’s play. 6.a3?! [ So far White has played well, but here he misses an easier win: 6.d4! xf3 7.d6 – Taimanov. At the cost of just one pawn White has centralized his queen, which now limits the enemy checks and provides the passed d-pawn with excellent support. ] 6...d1 Obviously, the f3-pawn cannot be taken. 7.b3 d2 8.a2?! [ 8.c4! was stronger, with the idea xf3 9.c3+ – Taimanov. After xc3+ 10.bxc3 e2 11.d6 f3 12.d7 f2 13.d8 f1 14.d5! (centralization first), Black is unlikely to save himself. ] 8...d4! Centralizing the queen and tying White to the defence of his pawns. 9.b1?! [ Taimanov might have discarded 9.a5 in view of c5 and Black wins a pawn back, although after 10.c3 xd5+ 11.a3 , White keeps excellent winning chances. ] 9...g1+ 10.c2 c5+ 11.d2 d4+ 12.e2 [ The last chance for a win was probably 12.c2 , followed by Kb1-a2, reverting to
the previous note. ] 12...g2! [ Seeing that 12...f2+ 13.d3 xf3+ 14.c4 leads to a bad ending after xb3+ 15.xb3 f3 16.d6 f2 17.d7 f1 18.d8 f7+ 19.a3 , Keres avoids the pin along the third rank in advance, while awaiting the opponent’s next step. ] 13.a5 f2+ 14.d1 [ Or 14.d3 xf3+ 15.c4 e4+! (compare the previous note) 16.c5 f3 and Black won’t lose. ] 14...d4+ 15.c1 e3+! 16.c2 c5+? A strange error – or perhaps a misprint. [ 16...e2+ maintained the perpetual, since 17.b1 e1+ 18.a2 fails to xa5+ . ] [ Instead, after 16...c5+ , a draw was agreed, though here 17.c3! xd5 18.d2+ led to a win – Taimanov. Beyond the turbulent conclusion of the battle, Black’s defence was truly heroic in this game. ] ½-½
Mkrtchian,L Cmilyte,V Krasnoturyinsk [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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With two healthy extra pawns, it is time for White to look for the most technical path to victory. 1.d7+?! [ Among all types of endings, the one where an extra pawn is most strongly felt is the pawn ending. Here 1.e6+! xe6 2.dxe6+
xe6 3.g3 led to a trivial win, as long as White improves her king before advancing the pawns. There could follow f5 4.f3 ( 4.h4 also works – Baburin ) 4...g5 5.g3! ( but not 5.g3? g4+! ) 5...f6 6.g4 g6 7.g3 f6 8.h5 f5 9.g4+ f6 10.h6 and wins. ] 1...f6 2.d8+ f5 3.f8+ g5 4.f3 d4! Obviously, Black could not swap queens, so instead keeps her majesty in the centre. 5.g3+?! [ Again, the idea of sacrificing one of the pawns to reach a pawn ending was available: 5.g4+! xg4 6.hxg4 f6 7.g3 g5! 8.d6 e6 9.f3 xd6 10.e4 e6 11.g3! f6 12.d5 and White soon wins, e.g. by a later waiting move with the g3pawn – Baburin. ] 5...f6 6.d6+ g5 7.e7+ h6 8.f8+ h7 9.f7+ h6 10.f8+ h7 11.e7+ h6 12.d6! Correct, betting on the passed pawn without worrying about the enemy queen checks. f4+ 13.g1 c1+ 14.f2 d2+ 15.g3 g5 [ After 15...d3+ 16.h2 , the king escapes, so Cmilyte prefers to create a mating threat. ] 16.f6+ h5 17.f7+ h6 18.e6+ h5 19.e5! Centralization. h6 20.h2?! [ An excellent alternative was 20.h4! , exposing the enemy king to future checks; e.g. d3+ ( not 20...gxh4+ 21.xh4 xg2? 22.h8+! ) 21.h2 gxh4 22.f6+ and the exchange of queens is imminent – Baburin. ] 20...h5 21.h8+ g6 22.e8+ h6 23.e6+ h5 24.g4+ h6 25.e6+ h5 26.e8+?! This doesn’t spoil anything yet, but it is a step in the wrong direction – Baburin. [ Correct was 26.d7! f4+ 27.g1 c1+ 28.f2 f4+ ( or 28...d2+ 29.e2+ check ) 29.e2 , when the threat of Qe8+ and d8Q decides, as the white queen covers the crucial c4-square. ] 26...h6 27.d7? A fatal misevaluation; with the queen on e8, the king won’t be able to escape the checks. [ Again 27.e6+ , followed by d6-d7, was called for. ] 27...f4+ 28.g1 c1+ 29.f2 d2+ The rest is rather obvious, with the white king being short of shelter. 30.f3 d3+ 31.g4 d4+ 32.f5 f4+ 33.e6 e4+ 34.d6 d4+ 35.e6 e4+ 36.f6 f4+ 37.e6 e4+ 38.d6 d4+ 39.c6 c4+ 40.b6
b4+ 41.a6 a4+ 42.b7 b5+ 43.c7 c5+ 44.d8 a5+! [ But not 44...b6+? 45.e7 c5+ 46.f6! f2+ (the queen should have been on f4 at this moment) 47.e6 b6+ 48.f7 g6+ 49.e7 e4+ 50.f8 and White wins – Baburin. ] 45.c8 c5+ 46.b7 b5+ 47.c8 c5+ 48.d8 a5+ 49.e7 e5+ 50.f7 f5+ 51.e7 [ There was even a way to lose to the game: 51.g8?? h7+ 52.f8 g7# . ] 51...e5+ ½-½
Back to Contents Page
Chapter Six
Miscellaneous Themes Zugzwang Space Restriction
Zugzwang The importance of zugzwang in the final phase of the game can hardly be exaggerated. For example, if it wasn't for the obligation to move, endings such as king and rook vs. king would always be drawn, and concepts such as opposition would lose their sense. In the earlier chapters we saw many cases of zugzwang; e.g. Averbakh-Matanovic, Sunye-Velimirovic, Barhudarian-Rozentalis and Van Wely-Kramnik. Here are some more. Example 330 Y.Pelletier-A.Galkin, Biel 2000 Example 331 B.Pytel-E.Mozna Hojdarova, Hungary 1969 Example 332 M.Carlsen-Y.Pelletier, Biel 2008 Due to its particular way of moving the knight can't lose a tempo, a fact that prevented the stronger side from winning in the next example. Example 333 V.Salov-R.Byrne, Reykjavik 1986 Just like the bishop, the rook is excellent at making waiting moves, a fact highlighted when giving mate with king and rook vs. king, for instance. Here are some further examples. Example 334 R.Goletiani-M.Klinova, Istanbul Olympiad 2012 Example 335 B.Lestari-E.Kharashuta, Zürich 2010 As seen in Barhudarian-Rozentalis, among others, one virtue of placing one's rook behind the passed pawn is the ability to make waiting moves with it, while the opponent can't do the same thing. Here is another case. Example 336 G.Pinter-M.Singleton, British League 2010 Even the queen can make waiting moves, as in the next two examples. Example 337 Y.Averbakh Example 338 A.Goldin-P.Korzubov, Dushanbe 1980 Waiting moves with the king are not to be forgotten either. Let's see some examples. Example 339 Example 340 Wang Yue-Liu Qingnan, Chinese Championship, Xinghua 2012 Example 341
Example 341 U.Andersson-C.McNab, Correspondence 1995 Example 342 M.Tal-A.Beliavsky, Moscow 1975 On occasion, the king can lose a tempo by moving in a triangle, supposing that the enemy king can't do likewise. We saw a related case already in Moreno-Suba (in Chapter One); here are some more examples of such a triangulation. Example 343 L.Barczay-I.Farago, Hungarian Championship, Budapest 1969 Triangulation can also occur in other types of endings, as in the next few examples. Example 344 Here is a similar, but more complex case. Example 345 A.Astaneh Lopez-R.R.Griffiths, Irish Championship, Dublin 2010 Example 346 M.Tal-B.Spassky, Candidates final (3rd matchgame), Tbilisi 1965 Far from being an everyday issue, zugzwang can also occur in earlier stages of the game. Here are two examples. Example 347 M.Voiska-J.Hellsten, Menton 2003 Example 348 V.Ivanchuk-M.Adams, Terrassa 1991 Next, let's examine the subject of waiting moves with the pawns. In pawn endings the availability of such moves can often determine the final result; thus one should use them with care. Here are some examples. Example 349 I.Mullen Example 350 J.Lundvik-A.Mohammadi, Swedish Team Championship 2004 Example 351 Gu Xiaobing-Tan Zhongyi, Chinese Women's Championship, Xinghua 2010 Example 352 T.Nabaty-P.Arnaudov, Bansko 2010 Example 353 O.Guttulsrud-R.Moor, Oslo 2011 A combination of waiting moves with the king and pawns can also prove effective, as in the next two examples. Example 354 A.Ilyin Zhenevsky-M.Botvinnik, Leningrad 1938 Example 355 A.Onischuk-C.Jepson, Hallsberg 1993 Example 356 D.Castro-M.Pino, Loja 2009 Occasionally, waiting moves with pawns can take place in other types of endings, as in the next example. Example 357 J.Timman-H.Ree, Amsterdam 1984
J.Timman-H.Ree, Amsterdam 1984 Next, let's see two examples where the stronger side decided to transpose into a pawn ending, anticipating a later usage of waiting moves with pawns. Example 358 V.Korchnoi-A.Lukin, Stockholm 2004 Example 359 E.Sutovsky-Kir.Georgiev, Gibraltar 2007 In this final example, the transposition to a pawn ending favours the defender instead, but for the same reason as before: a future usage of waiting moves with the pawns. Example 360 I.Sokolov-J.Hellsten, Malmö 1997
Space Space is a fundamental aspect of the battle in any of its stages, but in the endgame its implications become more specific – the further the advance of a pawn, the closer its queening square. Here are two simple examples on this topic. Example 361 Example 362 In positions with more pieces on the board the same concept keeps its relevance, as we already saw in a few earlier examples, such as Cramling-Seyfried (1 h5!), Smyslov-Karlsson (1 a5!) and Polugaevsky-Tal (1 a4!). Here are some further examples. Example 363 D.Brito-P.Orejuela, Guayaquil 2012 Example 364 A.Al Rakib-R.Bin Sattar, Dhaka 2003 Example 365 V.Jansa-M.Suba, Bajmok 1980 As seen within the initial example of this section, the idea of gaining space can also be used for defensive means. Here is another example. Example 366 V.Hort-V.Smyslov, Reggio Emilia 1986/87 On occasion, a pawn advance can have the effect of clearing vital space for the king. Here are some examples on this topic. Example 367 P.Harikrishna-E.Sutovsky, Montreal 2007 Example 368 K.Berbatov-D.Chatterjee, Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad 2010 The same idea keeps its relevance in other types of endings too, as shown by the following examples. Example 369 P.Jirman-P.Stluka, Klatovy 1995 Example 370 J.Moreno Carnero-V.Ivanchuk, Calvia Olympiad 2004 Example 371 P.Stromberg-J.Hellsten, Helsingborg 1991
P.Stromberg-J.Hellsten, Helsingborg 1991 Example 372 L.Ljubojevic-S.Gligoric, Belgrade (1st matchgame) 1979 Apart from approaching a pawn to its queening square and clearing the way for its fellow king, the space gained by a pawn advance can also have more general benefits, such as restriction of the enemy forces and creation of weaknesses. Here are some examples. Example 373 B.Larsen-J.Penrose, Palma de Mallorca 1972 Example 374 V.Moskalenko-W.Arencibia Rodriguez, Holguin 1989 Example 375 T.Oral-R.Slobodjan, Varadero 2000 Example 376 T.Radjabov-S.Mamedyarov, FIDE Grand Prix, Astrakhan 2010 In positions where both sides have castled short, a pawn chain on f2-g3-h4 is often the most solid kingside formation once the endgame arrives. This is particularly true for the defender, who will only have one undefended pawn to worry about. As a result, a timely g2(g3)-g4 advance – or for Black, ...g7(g6)-g5 – can make a lot of sense, in order to gain space and prevent the opponent from achieving the aforementioned structure. We already saw a related case in Alekseev-Nepomniachtchi (in Chapter Four); here are some additional examples, featuring different types of endings and pawn structures. Example 377 G.Vescovi-H.Van Riemsdijk, Sao Paulo 1998 Example 378 G.Kacheishvili-U.Atakisi, Turin Olympiad 2006 Example 379 V.Ivanchuk-A.Naiditsch, Dortmund 2008 Example 380 M.Carlsen-F.Caruana, Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012 Example 381 Y.Pelletier-A.Dreev, Cap d'Agde (rapid) 2002 When establishing that one side has a space advantage, we usually refer to the location of the central pawns of both players. Interestingly, one common strategy for the side with such an advantage is to conquer even more space on the flanks. Here are two examples on this topic. Example 382 A.Shirov-I.Sokolov, FIDE World Championship, Las Vegas 1999 Example 383 B.Spassky-P.Cramling, Veterans vs. Women, London 1996
Restriction Restriction is a fundamental part of chess strategy, and in my earlier worksMastering Opening Strategy and Mastering Chess Strategy, I covered its role quite thoroughly during the two first stages of the game. The way it works in the endgame isn't much different, and basically comes down to three general ideas: 1) prevent the opponent's intentions; 2) limit specific enemy pieces; 3) limit enemy activity as a whole. The examples in this section are structured around these ideas. Example 384 P.Keres Example 385
Example 385 F.El Debs-H.Saldano Dayer, Campinas 2009 A common restriction method, particularly in inferior positions, is to tie an enemy piece to the defence of a fellow pawn. We already saw some related cases in earlier chapters; e.g.Acs-Zvjaginsev, Kamsky-Karpov and Taimanov-Keres. In fact, the whole concept of placing one's rook behind an enemy pawn, covered inChapter Three , is related to this idea. Here are some more examples. Example 386 M.Ulibin-V.Bashkov, Cheliabinsk 1993 Example 387 F.Vallejo Pons-E.Postny, European Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2011 Example 388 J.Sanaguano-M.Morales, Riobamba 2010 Example 389 D.Eggleston-C.MacQueen, British Championship, Sheffield 2011 Example 390 P.H.Nielsen-E.Sutovsky, Dortmund 2005 Example 391 L.Zinn-D.Bronstein, East Berlin 1968 Example 392 B.Tadic-M.Perunovic, Serbian Championship, Kragujevac 2011 Example 393 P.Leko-M.Carlsen, Miskolc (rapid) 2008 Example 394 S.Dolmatov-A.Panchenko, Training game 1977 Example 395 R.Slobodjan-J.Hellsten, Dresden 1994 Now let's move over to restriction of specific enemy pieces, or domination, if you prefer. In the section on “magic” distances in Chapter Four we came across a few related examples, and here are some more. Example 396 J.Hector-A.Volokitin, German League 2011 Example 397 M.Botvinnik-V.Smyslov, World Championship (2nd matchgame), Moscow 1954 Example 398 V.Hort-V.Ciocaltea, Budapest 1973 Example 399 L.Vogt-J.Franzen, Stary Smokovec 1979 Example 400 A.Kharitonov-E.Pigusov, USSR Army Championship, Tashkent 1987 Example 401 T.Shaked-Joe.Benjamin, New York Open 1998 The king is a common object for the restrictive measures, as we saw, for example, in the section on cutting off the enemy king in Chapter Three. Here are two further examples. Example 402 V.Mikhalevski-G.Kaganskiy, Ashdod 2004 Example 403
Example 403 L.Psakhis-A.Saidy, Honolulu 1997 An extreme form of restriction occurs when a piece, typically a rook, is imprisoned by the enemy forces, thus losing its normal functionality. Here are a few cases of such isolation. Example 404 J.Hellsten-B.Ahlander, Malmö 2003 Example 405 A.Adorjan-B.Eley, Teesside 1973 Example 406 B.Einarsson-D.Shengelia, Canaries Junior Olympiad 1995 Finally, let's see some examples where restriction, in the sense of limiting enemy counterplay, had an important role in the process of realizing an advantage. By the way, such a direction of play is often referred to as technique, and we came across several related examples in the previous chapters; e.g.Rubinstein-Salwe, Dorfman-Vallejo, Gligoric-Matanovic and Petrosian-Ivkov. Example 407 H.Ten Hertog-M.Kanarek, European Junior Championships, Albena 2011 Example 408 S.Brynell-K.Moberg, Gothenburg 1996 Example 409 B.Socko-K.Piorun, Polish Championship, Warsaw 2011 Here is an example with more pieces on the board. Example 410 M.Taimanov-A.Van Elst, Neisse 1993 Example 411 M.Taimanov-L.Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1949 Karpov was a true maestro in the field of restriction, and it is no wonder that he won many endgames excelling in the use of this weapon. A good case is Karpov-Illescas (in Chapter Four), and here is another one. Example 412 A.Karpov-Z.Ribli, Amsterdam 1980 Chapter 7: Exchanges Back to Contents Page
Pelletier,Y Galkin,A Biel [Johan Hellsten] a
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Pytel,B Mozna Hojdarova,E Hungary [Johan Hellsten]
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In such endings with a bishop against pawns on the same flank, a main weapon for the stronger side is the gradual use of zugzwang. Of course he should also be on his guard against pawn exchanges. 1...e4! King first! [ 1...f6?! 2.g5 would be less technical. ] 2.f3+ [ Or 2.g5 f4 3.g6 g4 and the pawns fall by themselves. ] 2...e3 3.g5 Lacking better options, White has to expose his pawns. f4 4.f2 [ Again, 4.g6 f5 5.h5 g5 makes no sense for White. ] 4...h8! The bishop is an excellent executer of the zugzwang, as we already saw in Example 54 (Hellsten-Fernandez), among others. 5.e2 [ Or 5.g2 d4! 6.g6 f5 7.h3 xg6 8.g4 f6 and Black wins comfortably; e.g. 9.h5+ h6 10.f4 e7 11.f5 e5 . ] 5...g3 [ There could have followed 5...g3 6.e3 xh4 7.f4 g4 8.e4 g7! (zugzwang) 9.e3 f5 10.f3 f8 , followed by ... Bd6xf4. ] 0-1
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Despite Black’s active king, White has a serious advantage here thanks to her superior bishop. Pytel now starts some subtle manoeuvring with this piece, in which zugzwang plays a key role. We saw a similar endgame in Example 22 (AverbakhMatanovic) in Chapter One. 1.e2 d7 [ On 1...h5 there would follow 2.d3 f7 3.h7! (losing a tempo) e8 4.c2 f7 5.a4! with similar play as in the game. ] 2.d1! An initial zugzwang – Black has to allow a3-a4. e6 [ 2...h5 is much the same thing as the previous note. ] 3.a4! A new weakness is established on b5. d7 [ After 3...bxa4 4.xa4 , the a6-pawn becomes a decisive weakness; e.g. f5 5.d1 d7 6.e2 c8 7.h5! (zugzwang) f5 8.d4 b7 9.f1 (again) g5 10.e5 and wins – Müller, since xh5 11.f6 and 12 Bd3 is terminal. ] 4.axb5 axb5 5.e2! Again zugzwang, this time with the purpose of provoking ...h6-h5. h5 6.f1 c6 7.d3 e8 8.c2 f7 9.h7! Losing a tempo, one of the bishop’s specialties in the endgame. e8 10.d3 Another zugzwang. With the bishop tied to both b5 and g6, Black finally has to move her king. e6 [ Or 10...d4+ 11.cxd4+ d5 12.f1 d7
13.d3 f5+ 14.c3 d7 15.g2+ e6 16.e4 and wins – Müller. ] 11.d4 d6 12.f5 f7 13.h7! The idea is repeated. e8 [ If 13...e6 , then 14.c5 e5 15.d3! – Müller. ] 14.g8! [ In view of 14.g8 c6 15.f7 , Black resigned. ] [ By the way, 14.d3 with a fourth zugzwang was possible too. ] 1-0
Carlsen,Ma Pelletier,Y Biel [Johan Hellsten] a
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zugzwang ) 6.e4 g7 7.b5! (zugzwang) h6 8.f5 g3 9.c6 h5 10.f3+! h6 11.b5 h7 12.h5 g7 13.d5! with a final, decisive zugzwang – Baburin. With the text move 3...Kf7 Black avoids such a breakthrough, but allows a different one. ] 4.h5! gxh5 5.xf5 f6 6.e4 At this point, the black bishop must have been dreaming of changing places with the c5-pawn. g7 7.f3 h6 8.b5 g6 9.d1! [ Seeing that 9.c6?! permits f5 , intending ...h5-h4, Carlsen loses a tempo in order to reach the same position with Black to move. ] 9...h6 10.e2 g6 11.f3 h6 12.c6! [ After 12.c6 g6 13.e8+ h6 14.f7 , the fate of the h5-pawn is sealed, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
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An extra pawn often doesn’t suffice for victory when there are opposite-coloured bishops, but here Black has been forced to misplace his bishop to save the b6-pawn. Carlsen proceeded with subtlety. 1.c4! Looking for zugzwang. [ In contrast, the tempting 1.b4?! cxb4 2.b3 e7 3.c6 f6 4.d6 g7 5.e7 fails to b5! 6.axb5 b6 – Baburin, when the bishop manages to capture the pawns on g3 and f4 before sacrificing itself for the b-pawn, with a theoretical draw. ] 1...e7 2.c6 f6 3.d3! Zugzwang – any black move now has a clear defect. f7 [ If 3...e6 , then 4.g4! fxg4 ( or 4...f6 5.gxf5 gxf5 6.h5 etc ) 5.xg6 f6 ( after 5...g3 6.e4 f6 7.h5 g7 8.f5 g8 9.d5+ g7 10.b7 , Black is in
Salov,V Byrne,R Reykjavik [Johan Hellsten] a
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Here White should have played 1 Ne4 with a decisive advantage – Salov; however, he forgot about the singular nature of the knight, and allowed a drawing combination. 1.h5? xf4+! 2.xf4 xf4 3.xf4 a4 4.e4 a3 5.c3 h7 6.g5 g7 7.h6+ g8! [ Of course not 7...h8?? 8.g6 g8 9.h7+ h8 10.e4 a2 11.g5 a1 12.f7# . ] [ After 7...g8 White instead agreed to a
draw, seeing that 8.g6 h8 reaches a position of mutual zugzwang – Black to play loses, while White to play only draws, and unfortunately there is no way that he can lose that tempo. Incidentally, the whole example also shows the knight’s limitations when there is a battle on two flanks. ] ½-½
Goletiani,R Klinova,M Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e2! [ Black to move loses, since 1.-- g3 ( and 1...g8 fails to 2.g6 f8 3.f4+ ) 2.g6 leaves her without good moves. Thus White should just lose a tempo. ] 1...g3 2.e3 f2 3.e4 Mission accomplished. g3 [ Or 3...c5 4.a4 e7+ 5.e6 c5 6.xh4 and wins – Baburin. ] 4.g6 1-0
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material and positional pluses into victory. 1...e5 [ Also possible is 1...g5 2.h1 f4! with similar play. ] 2.h5+ d4 The e4-pawn is obviously poisoned, both here and later. 3.h6 [ Or 3.e5 b6 4.g5 e4 5.h5 f4 with zugzwang; e.g. 6.c1 b2+ 7.b1 b8! and White finally loses the pawn – Baburin. ] 3...e5 4.h5 b8 5.h4 b6! A waiting move to force the enemy rook to come closer. 6.g4 e3! The king will put an end to White’s waiting moves with the rook. 7.h4 f3 8.c1 b2+ 9.b1 b7! A final zugzwang, forcing White to give up the pawn. 10.h2 xe4 11.e2+ d4 12.d2+ e3 0-1
Pinter,G Singleton,M British League [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) Lestari,B Kharashuta,E Zurich [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) Black found an elegant way of converting her
1.c4! White’s plan is clear: bring the king to e3 and then wait for Black to run out of moves. [ Instead, the game went 1.g4+? g5 (now the black king has a clear target – Baburin) 2.c4 e4 3.b5 e6 4.a6 e3 5.a7 e5+ 6.c6 e8 7.a8 xa8 8.xa8 xg4 and was soon drawn. ] 1...e4 2.d4!
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[ After 2.b5? a8 3.a6 e3 , Black again has counterplay. ] 2...g5 [ Or 2...d6+ 3.e3 a6 4.h3 in similar fashion. ] 3.e3 g4 [ In the event of 3...h5 one possible reply is 4.h3 , avoiding pawn exchanges. ] 4.a1! From now on, White just makes waiting moves with the rook until zugzwang is reached. e5 5.a2 d5 6.a4 h6 Evidently, any king move would lose the e4pawn, while rook moves just make things worse by allowing a5-a6. 7.a1 e5 8.a2 d5 9.a4 Repeating the process. h5 10.a1 e5 11.a2 d5 12.a4 . A final zugzwang, forcing Black to abandon the e4-pawn. White wins – Baburin.
example 337 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.c6! Zugzwang – any king move allows White to swap queens -[ as does 1...b3 , and Black has no other good queen move. ]
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Goldin,A Korzubov,P Dushanbe [Johan Hellsten] a
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The idea of provoking zugzwang with the queen is also frequently used when fighting against fortresses. In the above position, despite a material deficit White has everything defended, and it is not easy to see how Black can make progress. 1...d1! Initiating a sequence of queen moves with the purpose of creating zugzwang. [ Of course 1...b3? 2.e2 was of no use for Black ] [ while in the game he went for the straightforward 1...xc2+? 2.xc2 bxc3
3.bxc3 b3 , and after 4.b4! d4 5.cxd4 xb4 6.e2 c3 7.d5 b3 8.d6 c2 9.d7 c1 10.d8 e3+ 11.d1 xf3+ , White could have saved himself by 12.e1! – Shereshevsky; ( the game saw 12.d2? e3+! 13.d1 e5 and Black later won by crossing the board with his king ) e.g. 12...xg4 13.d3+ and Black is unlikely to escape the perpetual without dropping the g5-pawn. ] 2.e2 c1! 3.c2 a1 A first zugzwang is reached. If White moves his knight then 4... Kb3(-a2) follows; [ while 3...a1 4.e2 permits the strong g1! with the rook soon running out of space. Thus the white king has to move a step away from the action. ] 4.g2 e1! Another waiting move which forces the rook to leave c2. 5.e2 [ Or 5.h2 f1! with similar effect. ] 5...c1! Black’s idea is clear: compared with the game continuation, White’s king has been displaced on g2, which makes the queen sacrifice work out much better. 6.c2 xc2+! 7.xc2 bxc3 8.bxc3 b3 9.b4 d4 Black wins – Shereshevsky; [ e.g. 9...d4 10.cxd4 ( or 10.c6 dxc3 11.a5+ a2 ) 10...xb4 11.f2 c3 12.e2 b3 . ]
example 339 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Wang Yue Liu Qingnan Chinese Championship, Xinghua [Johan Hellsten] a
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course. 1.d3! A solid choice, exploiting the fact that waiting moves with the king never end, contrary to those with pawns. [ Instead, the game saw 1.f4+?? gxf4+ 2.gxf4+ d5 3.d3 h6! 4.h4 h5 and the black king soon entered enemy territory, with an easy win. Curiously, the “active” 1 f4+ is one of few losing options in the initial position. ] 1...f4 [ On most other moves the king could just go back to e3; e.g. 1...d5 2.e3 c4?! 3.f4 .] 2.g4 This and the next pawn move are indeed advisable, in order to prevent the entry of Black’s king. d5 3.f3 h6 4.c3 c5 5.d3 d5 . Draw.
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I recently came across this position in a local open. White is minimally worse due to the active black king, but it is no big deal, of
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1.h5! A clever waiting move, so as to see where Black’s king goes before taking further action. [ In contrast, the natural 1.h6? only draws after f4 2.f6 xg4 3.g7 h5 4.xf7 h4 – Baburin. ] 1...f4 [ Or 1...f6 2.h6 . ] 2.f6! [ In view of 2.f6 e5 3.g5 , followed by Kh6, Black resigned. ] 1-0
Andersson,U McNab,C Correspondence [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e2! [ 1.xf7?! xe4 ] [ 1.f3?! d1+ ] [ 1.g3?! b1 2.f3 c2 3.xf7 ( 3.xf7+ xf7+ 4.xf7 g7 , preparing ...Kf6-e5, and Black won’t lose ) 3...d1+ 4.g2 c2+ 5.g1 xe4 with equality – Andersson. ] 1...b1 Any other move loses material; [ e.g. 1...g8 2.g6+ ] [ or 1...d7 2.c3! . ] 2.f3! That’s it – with the bishop having been deflected from the d1-a4 diagonal, Black can no longer give check on d1, thus the f7-pawn is doomed. c2 3.xf7 d1+ 4.f2 c2+ 5.g1 [ Of course not 5.e3?? e2+ 6.d4 b2+ . The text lets Black recover the pawn, but his unsafe king remains a telling factor. ] 5...xe4 6.e6! With the double threat of 7 Bf5+ and 7 Qf7+. e3+ 7.h1 f4 8.f5+ g8 9.g6+ f8 10.xh6+ f7 There follows a precise sequence of queen checks in order to pick up the bishop on d1. 11.e6+ f8 12.c8+! g7 13.d7+ f6 14.e6+! [ In view of 14.e6+ g7 15.e7+ g8 16.e6+ h8 17.d8+ g7 18.xd1 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
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Despite his extra pawn, White can’t really improve his position, so Black should just lose a tempo. 1...g7! The king takes up that task. [ Interestingly, in the later game I.KurnosovB.Lalic, British League 2009, there followed instead 1...b8? 2.c3 b3+ 3.c2! (preparing a turn around b1-a2) g3 4.h1 f3 5.h4 a3 6.b3! f1 7.a4 xh5 8.xa3 g6 9.b4 f2+ ( or 9...f6 10.e3! – Baburin ) 10.b3 f7 11.a4 e7 12.d3! a2+ 13.b5 a8 14.c6 and Black resigned. ] 2.h6+ [ Or 2.e2 h6 3.e6+ h7! ( more practical than 3...xh5 4.e5+ g6 5.b5 ) 4.e2 h6 5.h2 g7 and White hasn’t achieved anything – Baburin. ] 2...h7 [ Draw agreed as White can’t make progress; e.g. 2...h7 3.c5 a3 . ] ½-½
Barczay,L Farago,I Hungarian Championship, Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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example 344 [Johan Hellsten]
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A quick glance reveals that White would very much like to reach this position with the opponent to move, so that he can play Kd6 without bothering about ...Kb6. 1.c4! Starting a triangulation. [ In contrast, the game went 1.d6?! b6 2.e5 xb5 3.f6 a4 4.xg6 b5 5.f5 b4 6.f6 b3 7.f7 b2 8.f8 b1+ with decent drawing chances for Black in the queen ending, although he lost it many moves later. ] [ Not all triangles are the same; e.g. 1.b4?? b6 2.c4 a5 3.c5 and White has admittedly achieved one, but after a4! 4.b6 b4 5.xb7 xb5 , it is Black who arrives first at the enemy pawns. ] 1...b6 [ Or 1...b8 2.d5 c7 3.e5 b6 4.f6 xb5 5.xg6 and the f-pawn decides. ] 2.b4! c7 [ White’s task is even easier after 2...a7 3.c5 b8 4.d6 c8 5.e6 etc – Eszik. ] 3.c5 b6+ [ 3...d7 4.d5 e7 5.e5 b6 6.f5! transposes to the main line. ] 4.d5 d7 5.e5 e7 6.f5! This breakthrough wins a decisive pawn. gxf5 7.xf5 f7 [ Or 7...d6 8.g5 c5 9.xh5 xb5 10.g5 and only White queens. ] 8.g5 g7 9.xh5 h7 10.g5 g7 11.f5 . With a quick win.
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In order to win White should hand over the turn to the opponent. 1.b6! Initiating some kind of triangulation. [ Evidently, 1.c5? was premature due to d4 ] [ and 1.d7 f6 2.e8?! g7 isn't productive either. ] [ But another triangle with 1.b5!? d4 ( or 1...e7 2.c5! xd5 3.c6 d6 4.b6 etc ) 2.b6! e5 3.c6 also works ] [ as does 1.d7 f6 2.c7! e5 3.c6 .] 1...d4 The most tenacious reply. [ Both 1...d6 ] [ and 1...e7 run into the sacrifice 2.c5! xd5 3.c6 and one of the pawns queens. ] 2.c7 e5 3.c6 The triangulation is completed, and Black now lacks a solid move. f6 [ If 3...d4 , then 4.d7 e5 5.e8 ] [ and 3...e7 4.d7! f6 5.e8 ] [ or 3...d6 4.d7 is similar. ] [ Finally, 3...a3 fails to 4.c5 . ] 4.c5 e5 5.b6! Clearing the way for the cpawn, without bothering about the bishop. [ 5.b5 xd5 6.c6 d6 7.b6 is just as good. ] 5...xd5 6.c6 . White wins.
Astaneh Lopez,A Griffiths,RR Irish Championship, Dublin [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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1.a7! The first step of a decisive triangulation. [ The tempting 1.c8?! e7 2.g7? proves less successful after xg7 3.c7 e5+ 4.c6 g3 5.g6 e5 6.d6+ xe6! 7.d7 f6 8.g7 f7 , a similar finish to Example 75 (Hellsten-Stojanovic) in Chapter Two. ] 1...g7 2.b8 e5 3.b7 It transpires that with Black to move, he can no longer defend both flanks. g7 [ Or 3...e7 4.c6 and wins – Baburin. ] 4.c8 e7 5.c7 c3 6.c6! To a light square; [ avoiding 6.d6+? xe6 7.d7 a5+ 8.c8 e7 . ] 6...e5 7.d6+ d8 [ If 7...xe6 , then 8.d7 e7 9.g7 xg7 10.c7 . ] 8.b7 c3 9.g7 xg7 10.e7+ [ In view of 10.e7+ d7 11.e8+ xe8 12.c8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Tal,M Spassky,B Candidates final, Tbilisi (3) [Johan Hellsten]
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Observing that White to move loses, Spassky found a simple, yet effective solution: triangulation. 1...d2! [ 1...-- ] 2.e4 c3 3.h4 d3 . Finding himself in a lethal zugzwang, White resigned. 0-1
Voiska,M Hellsten,J Menton [Johan Hellsten] a
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2003
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1965 Black has a minimal initiative, but even so it is hard to believe that the game won’t end with a draw. However, the battle took an unusual turn.
1.d5? A pseudo-active move, one that cost White dearly in the game. [ Correct was 1.g2! , reinforcing the kingside; e.g. e5 2.f4 f5 3.d4+ with a drawish rook ending. ] 1...f3! Black doesn’t threaten anything, but it is White’s turn, and each of her possible replies has a clear drawback. If the queen leaves the long diagonal, then 2...Re1 leads to mate, while queen moves along it cause her departure after 2...Rxh4+. As for the rook, if it leaves the d-file then 2...Rxh4+ again decides, nor can it leave the second rank due to 2...Qxf2+. Finally, none of the king or pawn moves are appealing. Voiska found the least of evils. 2.d3 Now there is no time for 2...Re1, but Black has a different piece of tactics at his disposal. xd3 3.xd3 e2! 4.g2 xa2 Black has achieved the same kind of rook ending, with an extra pawn on the queenside, that we examined in Chapter Three. This version is rather favourable for him, since the exchange of the a5- and b3-pawns can be carried out at his leisure. 5.d5 a3 Preventing 6 Kf3 and enabling a capture on b3 at the right moment. Note that the natural winning plan in such positions - a king march to the opposite flank - gains weight here due to the fact that when White’s rook starts an attack on the enemy kingside pawns, it will lose track of the a5-pawn, and thus the capture on b3 will yield Black connected passed pawns. 6.f3 f5 Avoiding pawn exchanges. 7.d3 [ If 7.f4 f6 8.e5 , restricting the enemy king, Black could change plans with xb3! 9.xa5 d3 , when the rigid kingside pawn structure plays against White; e.g. 10.a6+ f7 11.a7+ e6 12.g7 b3 13.xg6+ d5 14.b6 c4 with an easy win. ] 7...f7 8.f2? A gross error in a difficult position. [ More tenacious was 8.d5 e6 9.b5 d6 10.b6+ c5 11.xg6 xb3 12.g4!? , although after fxg4 13.fxg4 hxg4 14.g5+ ( or 14.h5 h3 ) 14...b6 15.g6+ c7 16.xg4 a4 , Black is faster. ] 8...a4 . Seeing that she will lose another pawn, White resigned. 0-1
Ivanchuk,V Adams,Mi Terrassa [Johan Hellsten] a
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1991
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A sharp duel in the Spanish Marshall produced the above middlegame, where Black’s activity more than compensates for the pawn minus. Adams found an original solution. 1...g8! A clever waiting move. [ Instead, 1...xa2?! 2.g3 would yield White some slight relief. ] 2.b3 This weakening of the c3-pawn was hardly in Ivanchuk’s plans, but what else to do? [ As Adams indicates, 2.e2 f4 ] [ 2.h1 e3! ] [ or 2.h1 e3! lose on the spot ] [ while 2.a3 h8! 3.a4 g8 just renews the zugzwang. ] 2...f4 3.e2 xc3 White’s position is in ruins already. 4.e6 xa2 5.xc6 xb3 6.xa6 e2+ 7.h1 b8! Ceding the f4square to the knight. 8.e1 d1 . In this hopeless position, White resigned. 0-1
example 349 Mullen,I [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) White wins by the opportune use of waiting
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moves with the pawns. 1.h4! King first! e6 2.g5 f7 3.f4 Given that White still has two spare tempi left with the h-pawn, he can afford to use up those with the f-pawn, in order to prevent any counterplay with ...f5-f4. [ Nevertheless, the move orders 3.f3 g7 4.f4 f7 5.h6 f6 6.h4! ] [ and 3.h6!? f6 ( or 3...f4 4.gxf4 f6 5.h4! f5 6.f3 f6 7.h7 f7 8.f5! gxf5 9.f4 ) 4.h4 ( or 4.f4 f7 5.h3; but not 4.h7?! f4! ) 4...f7 5.h7 f6 6.f3! ( not 6.g8? f4! 7.gxf4 f5 8.f7 xf4 9.xg6 g4 ) 6...f7 7.f4 work as well. ] 3...g7 4.h3! [ Seeing that 4.h4? f7 5.h6 f6 just draws, White keeps a last waiting move in reserve. ] 4...h7 [ Or 4...f7 5.h6 f6 6.h4 f7 7.h7 with similar effect. ] 5.f6 h6 [ If 5...h4 , then 6.gxh4 h6 7.f7 h7 8.h5 etc. ] 6.h4! White finally uses up his last waiting move in order to gain the opposition. h7 7.f7 h6 8.g8 . White wins.
Lundvik,J Mohammadi,A Swedish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2004
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By a proper use of waiting moves, White gradually realized his advantage. 1.h3! Gaining the e5-square for the king. [ 1.a3 also works. ] 1...f7 [ After 1...g5? 2.fxg5+ xg5 3.e5 , the outside passed pawn decides. ] 2.e5 e7 3.h4 f7 4.d6 f6 5.a3! Gaining the opposition, which will permit a king raid along the eighth rank. f7 [ Or 5...f5 6.e7 xf4 7.xe6 with a transposition. ] 6.d7 f6 7.e8! f5 [ 7...e5 8.fxe5+ xe5 9.e7! f5 10.f7 is just as hopeless. ] 8.f7 xf4 The most tenacious. [ Instead, the game saw 8...g4 9.xg6 ( 9.xe6!? xh4 10.f5! is another winning line ) , and Black resigned in view of 9...xh4 10.f6 g4 11.xe6 xf4 12.d6 – Furhoff. ] 9.xe6! [ Not 9.xg6? e5 10.h5 e4 11.h6 e3 12.h7 e2 13.h8 e1 and Black escapes. ] 9...g4 10.f6 The outside passed pawn means the white king arrives first at the opposite flank; [ e.g. 10.f6 xh4 11.xg6 g4 12.f6 f4 13.e6 e4 14.d6 d4 15.c6 c4 16.b6 b3 17.xa6 xa3 18.xb5 – Furhoff. ]
Gu Xiaobing Tan Zhongyi Chinese Women's Championship, Xinghua2010 [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is under pressure and should calculate the tempi with care. 1.a3! Simplest, so as to eliminate the opponent’s waiting move ...a4-a3. [ In contrast, the game went 1.g4+? hxg4+ 2.hxg4+ e5 3.e3 a3! and it was Black who successfully used a waiting move, gaining the opposition. There followed 4.f3 d4 5.g2 ( or 5.e2 e4 ) 5...c3 6.f2 b2 and White resigned. ] 1...g4+ 2.hxg4+ hxg4+ 3.f2! In order to take the opposition on the next move. [ Instead, 3.e2? e4 ] [ or 3.e3? e5 4.d3 d5 loses. ] 3...e4 4.e2 . Draw – Baburin.
Nabaty,T Arnaudov,P Bansko [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) Here is a similar situation with reversed colours. With his next move Black forgot about the importance of economizing waiting moves with the pawns, and paid duly for it. 1...f5? A horrible move, which yields White several spare tempi on the kingside. [ For this reason, 1...h4 was much better ]
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[ and even 1...a6 works – Baburin; e.g. 2.a5 ( or 2.c5? a5 ) 2...b6 . ] 2.g3! Of course. White eliminates Black’s last waiting move, while keeping two of his own with the h-pawn. a6 3.a5 b6 [ Or 3...a7 4.b5 b8 5.b6 c8 6.a6 bxa6 7.xa6 c7 8.b5 d6 9.c4 c6 10.d4 d6 11.h3 , transposing – Baburin. ] 4.axb6 xb6 With a normal kingside structure this would be drawn, but here White’s reserve of waiting moves makes the difference, in similar fashion to Mullen’s example earlier in this section. 5.c4 c6 6.d4 d6 7.h3! Gaining the opposition. e6 8.c5 e7 [ White also wins after 8...d7 9.d5 e7 10.e5 f7 11.d6 h4 ( 11...f6 12.h4 leads to the game ) 12.gxh4 f6 13.d5 e7 14.e5 f7 15.h5 – Baburin. ] 9.c6 e6 10.h4! A second zugzwang, or renewed opposition, name it as you like. e7 11.c7 f6 [ If 11...e6 , then 12.d8 with similar play. ] 12.d6 Here Black resigned. Let’s see a possible conclusion: f7 13.d7 f6 14.e8 e6 15.f8 f6 16.g8 . White wins with 17 Kg7 next. 1-0
Guttulsrud,O Moor,R Oslo [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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White is in trouble, but precise defence would have saved him. 1.h4! Economizing with the waiting moves – in such situations it is often preferable to use the pawn that has already moved. [ Instead, the game went 1.d3? c5 2.h4 h6! 3.g4 g5 4.h5 b3 5.c3 b2 6.xb2 xc4 7.c2 d4 and White resigned. ] 1...h6 [ Or 1...h5 2.g3 with similar play to the main line. ] 2.g4 g5 3.h5 [ Also possible is 3.hxg5 hxg5 4.e4 c5 5.d3 b3 6.c3 b2 7.xb2 xc4 8.c2 – Baburin. ] 3...b6 [ Or 3...d6 4.c5+ c6 5.c4 b3 6.xb3 xc5 7.c3 . ] 4.c5+ c6 [ After 4...b5 5.d5 , White will have few problems in the ensuing queen ending. ] 5.c4 b3 6.xb3 xc5 7.c3 . Draw.
Ilyin Zhenevsky,A Botvinnik,M Leningrad [Johan Hellsten]
1938
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1.f3! Before placing the king on f4, White wants to see Black’s next move. [ In contrast, the game went 1.f4? g6! and a draw was agreed on account of 2.hxg6+ xg6 3.g3 h5 4.e6 f6 5.e7 xe7 6.xf5 h4! . ] 1...g5 [ Or 1...e7 2.f4 e6 3.g3 with a decisive zugzwang. ] 2.hxg6+ xg6 3.f4 h5 4.g3 . Zugzwang, and White wins – Baburin.
Onischuk,A Jepson,C Hallsberg [Johan Hellsten] a
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1993
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(Diagramme) With Black to move, 1...Ke6 would lead to a
draw, but it is White’s turn and he immediately improves his king. 1.e5 e7 2.d5! A clever waiting move. By using the king for this purpose, White keeps the waiting moves with the pawns for a later occasion. [ In contrast, 2.d5 d6+ 3.f4 f6 ] [ or 2.g3 d6+ 3.d5 d7 4.g4 g5 would only draw. ] 2...g5 Now Black loses the g-pawn, but he was short of good options anyway; [ e.g. 2...d6 3.c6! e6 4.d5+ e5 5.g3! g5 6.g4 ] [ or 2...f7 3.d6 e8 4.c7 e7 5.d5 g5 6.d6+ e6 7.g4 and White wins in both cases. ] 3.e5 g4 4.g3! [ More technical than 4.f4?! f6 5.xg4 g6 etc. ] 4...d6+ 5.f5 f7 6.d5! Black’s king is forced to move one step away from g6; [ although 6.xg4 g6 ( or 6...e6 7.f4 d5 8.g4 ) 7.f4 xh6 ( 7...f6 8.d5 transposes to the game ) 8.f5 h5 9.d5 wins as well. ] 6...e7 7.xg4 f6 8.f4 g6 9.g4 f6 [ Or 9...xh6 10.f5 g7 11.e6 etc. ] 10.g5+ e7 11.g6 f8 12.gxh7 1-0
Castro,D Pino,M Loja [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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Here is a final pawn ending, in which the
waiting moves with the pawns played a crucial role, not only in the actual course of the game, but also in several of its subvariations. Thanks to her more active king Black is a bit better. In order to keep the king on d3, White now desires to make a waiting move with a pawn, but which one? 1.h4? A bad choice, since after the opponent’s reply, White will be short of spare tempi on the kingside. [ For this reason, 1.g4! was much better; e. g. g5 2.fxg5 hxg5 3.e3 b5 4.d3 , and if now bxa4 5.bxa4 e5? ( 5...d6 is correct, with a draw ) , then White’s spare tempo even leads her to a full point: 6.h3! b6 7.c4 b7 8.c5 c7 9.c4! and wins. ] 1...h5! 2.e3 Now a waiting move with the king is the most solid choice. [ If instead 2.f5? , then exf5 3.exf5 d5 and the f5-pawn falls ] [ while 2.c4? fails to b4 3.c2 a3 4.c3 c5! 5.c2 a2 6.f5 e5 7.c3 b1 and Black wins, a variation similar to Example 352 (Nabaty-Arnaudov) with reversed colours and flanks. ] 2...b5! This advance either creates an outside passed pawn, or softens up the c4-square for the king. 3.d3 [ After 3.axb5 cxb5 4.d3 a4 5.b4+ c6 6.c2 f5! , the king enters via d5 with great effect. ] 3...bxa4 4.bxa4 Now Black just needs to lose a tempo in order to make the white king step back, but how to do it? g6? This natural move has a surprising flaw. [ Instead, 4...f5! first was correct; for example 5.e5 g6 6.d2 c4 7.c2 c5 and Black wins. Incidentally, we came across a similar variation in the 1 g4 subline, with reversed colours. ] 5.c4? An early surrender. [ The unexpected breakthrough 5.g4! led to a draw: hxg4 ( after 5...f5? 6.g5! , White even wins; e.g. d6 7.exf5 exf5 8.c4 d7 9.c5 c7 10.c4 etc ) 6.f5 exf5 7.exf5 d6! 8.fxg6 e7 etc, on the topic of mutual protected passed pawns. ] 5...b4 6.d4 [ It is already too late for 6.g4 because of f5! .] 6...c5+ The rest is easy. 7.d3 xa4 8.c3 a3 9.e5 f5 10.d3 b4 0-1
Timman,J Ree,H Amsterdam [Johan Hellsten] a
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1984
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Korchnoi,V Lukin,A Stockholm [Johan Hellsten]
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2004
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White seems to be completely winning, but some accuracy is still required due to the proximity of Black’s king to the queenside. Timman found a technical solution. 1.a4! A clever waiting move. [ The impatient 1.g6? would only draw after xg6 2.xg6 c4 ] [ while after 1.f5?! g2! , White would have to find 2.e7+! ( both 2.e3+? xe3 3.g6 d6! , followed by Nd5-e7; and 2.g6?! f4 3.g7 h5+ , with ...Nxg7 and ...Kc4 next, let Black escape ) 2...d6 3.g6 f4 4.a4! in similar fashion to the initial move of this example. There can follow xg6 ( nothing is changed after 4...b5 5.a5; 4...a5 5.b5; or 4...d7 5.f7 ) 5.xg6 d5 6.e5! , when d4 7.e6 c3 is met by 8.c6 with an easy win. ] 1...b5 [ Or 1...a5 2.b5 with the same effect. ] 2.a5 Black is in zugzwang – knight moves fail to 3g6; [ while 2.a5 d6 ( runs into 2...d4 3.f5+ .; As for the defect of 2...c4 , we will soon see that. )] 2...c4 3.f5 g2 4.e5! The point: Black can no longer reach the g-pawn with his knight, and duly resigned. [ But not 4.e3+? xe3 5.g6 d5+ 6.f7 e3! with a draw, since 7.g7?? runs into f5 . ] 1-0
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Black has just played ...Kg8-g7, but he should have placed his king on h7 instead. The difference becomes evident with White’s reply. 1.f6+! Korchnoi has observed that in the pawn ending that now arises, despite the material balance he will be winning thanks to his spare tempi with the f-pawn. xf6 2.exf6+ xf6 3.f4! Opposition, and a first zugzwang. e6 [ After 3...g7 4.e5 g8 ( or 4...f6+ 5.e6 g5 6.f4! with zugzwang to come ) 5.f6 f8 6.f4! , followed by f4-f5, White soon wins a decisive pawn – Furhoff. ] 4.g5 e5 [ Or 4...e7 5.f3! with similar effect. ] 5.f3! A second zugzwang. [ In contrast, 5.f4+? e6 ( or 5...e4 ) is just a draw; e.g. 6.f5+ gxf5 7.xh5 f4! . However, with Black to move again after 5... Ke6 the outcome is different, as we will see next. ] 5...e6 6.f4 [ In view of 6.f4 e7 7.f5! gxf5 8.xf5 f6 9.g6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Sutovsky,E Georgiev,Kir Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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Sokolov,I Hellsten,J Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
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1997
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White found a clear-cut solution to the realization of his extra pawn. 1.xc6! xc6 2.b4! A key advance that secures a spare tempo with a2-a3, and leaves Black with none. d6 3.d2! Heading for e4, while applying some kind of distant opposition. [ The straightforward 3.d3 d5 4.e3 also works ( of course not 4.a3? , wasting the spare move, with a draw after c6 5.e4 d6 6.d5 d7 etc ) , since 4...c4 can be met by 5.e4 xb4 6.d5! a3 7.c5 with 8 d5 next. ] 3...c6 [ Or 3...d5 4.d3 , transposing. ] 4.e3 d5 [ If 4...d7 , then 5.e4 d6 6.d5 d7 7.d4 d6 8.a3! etc. ] 5.d3 Here Black resigned. Let’s see a possible continuation: d6 6.e4 c6 7.d5+ d7 8.d4 d6 9.a3! The spare tempo comes in very handy at this point. d7 10.c5 c7 11.d6+ d7 12.d5 . White wins. 1-0
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Despite the doubled f-pawns White is better here, thanks to his more active rook and king, along with the weakness on a5. 1.xe6+? A tempting, but wrong choice. [ White should have preferred either 1.b7+ f6 2.xh7 d6+ 3.e4 b6 4.d7 ] [ or 1.b5!? , keeping some winning chances. ] 1...xe6 2.c4 Evidently, the a5-pawn is doomed, but Black has one last trump available. g5! Fixing the kingside structure so as to secure two extra tempi with the h-pawn later on. [ In contrast, after 2...d6 3.b5 d5? ( it is not yet too late for 3...g5! ) 4.xa5 c5 5.h4! , Black’s waiting moves soon end, which lets the white king return to the battle: h6 6.a6 c6 7.a5 h5 ( or 7...g5 8.hxg5 hxg5 9.a7 c7 10.a6 ) 8.a7 c7 9.a6 c8 10.b6 and White wins. ] 3.b5 d5 4.xa5 c5 5.h3 [ Or 5.a6 c6 6.a5 h6! 7.h3 h5 , transposing. ] 5...h6! Economizing with the spare tempi. 6.a6 c6 7.a5 h5 8.a7 c7 9.a6 h4 It transpires that White can’t liberate his king. 10.a8 c8 11.a7 ½-½
example 361 [Johan Hellsten] a
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White’s plan is clear: use the g-pawn as bait in order to arrive first with his king on the opposite flank. However, only one move will make it work in practice. 1.a5! Gaining space. [ Any other move, such as 1.f4? , would fail to a5! with Black applying the same idea. There can follow 2.e5 g5 3.d5 xg4 4.c5 f5 5.b5 e6 6.xa5 d7 7.b6 c8 with a draw. ] 1...g5 2.f3 g6 3.e4 White soon wins; [ e.g. 3.e4 g5 4.d5 xg4 5.c6 f5 6.b6 e6 7.xa6 d7 8.b7 . Note that with Black to move in the initial position, 1...a5! draws, as you might already have guessed. ]
example 362 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) A pawn race is about to start, and its outcome will depend on the space factor. 1...h5! [ Seeing that the obvious 1...c3? would allow 2.h5! ( not 2.g7? h5 ) 2...xb3 3.g7 c4 4.xh6 b3 5.g7 b2 6.h6 b1 7.h7 with a draw, Black first gains some space, or prevents the opponent from gaining space, if you prefer. ] 2.g7 c3 3.g6 xb3 4.xh5 c4
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Black wins; [ e.g. 4...c4 5.g6 b3 6.h5 b2 7.h6 b1+ . ]
Brito,D Orejuela,P Guayaquil [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is on the verge of winning, but Black’s active king is a concern. 1.h5! Gaining some vital space before transposing to the knight vs. pawns ending. [ Instead, the game went 1.e7? b4! 2.c8 xc8 3.xc8 c4 4.d6+ ( if 4.e7 d3 5.g6 , then e4 , followed by ...Kf3-g4-h5 ) 4...d4 5.xf5+ e4 6.xh6 xf4 7.c3 g3 and draw. ]
1...b4 With the king deprived of the b4-square, there is hardly anything better. 2.e7 b5 3.c8 xc8 4.xc8 c4 5.d6+ d4 6.xf5+ e4 7.xh6 xf4 8.g4! With the h-pawn already on h5, this little trick becomes possible. g5 9.h6 . White wins.
Al Rakib,A Bin Sattar,R Dhaka [Johan Hellsten] a
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xf5 8.g3 , so Black first forces h4-h5 by means of zugzwang. ] 7.g3 [ Or 7.e3 e4 with similar effect – Roiz. ] 7...e4 8.h5 xf5! By now this sacrifice is no surprise for us, and White actually resigned at this moment. Let’s see a possible continuation: 9.gxf5 xf5 10.h4 f4! 11.h6 gxh6 12.h5 e4 13.xh6 d3 14.g5 c3 15.f4 b3 16.e3 xa3 17.d2 b2 . Black wins. Note that with the a-pawns located one file upwards on the board, i.e. a4 vs. a5, the position after 9... Kxf5 would be a draw. 0-1
Jansa,V Suba,M Bajmok [Johan Hellsten] a
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This is technically won for Black, but he must avoid the scenario of a theoretical draw with an a-pawn and wrong bishop. 1...a4! Preparing the sacrifice of the bishop for White’s kingside pawns, after which the space gained by ...a5-a4 will prove essential. [ Another, completely different idea was 1...f5+!? 2.c3 g6! , aiming at zugzwang; e.g. 3.g4 e5 , heading for f4. ] 2.g4 f7 3.f4 [ If 3.h5 then e8! , heading for b5; e.g. 4.f4 ( neither 4.c3 e5; nor 4.e3 c4 is any better ) 4...b5+ 5.e3 ( or 5.c3 e2! ) 5...d7 6.f3 ( the attempt at a theoretical draw by 6.f5 e5 7.g5 xf5 8.h6 fails to gxh6 9.gxh6 h7 , followed by ...Kd4-c3-b2 ) 6...d4 7.f5 e5 8.e3 xf5! 9.gxf5 xf5 in similar fashion to the game – Roiz. ] 3...e6 4.f5 d7 5.e3 e5 [ Not 5...c4?! 6.h5 with the dreadful threat of 7 f6. ] 6.f3 c6+ [ It is too early for 6...xf5? in view of 7.gxf5
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Thanks to his more active king Black is a bit better, but there is a long way to the full point, of course. 1.g3? After this lazy move, White’s queenside pawn majority never becomes a significant asset. [ For that reason, 1.c3! was much better – Suba; A) e.g. 1...c4 2.g3 b4 ( or 2...e4 3.d2 , preparing b2-b3 ) 3.cxb4 xb4 4.d3 and White holds; B) the aggressive 1...f4+ 2.f3 b4 ( while 2...c4? 3.e4 even loses ) 3.cxb4 e4+ leads nowhere after 4.e2! c4 5.a3 b3 6.d2 etc. ]
1...b4! Gaining important space. 2.d3 A waiting move. [ After 2.c3 bxc3 3.bxc3 c4 4.d2 e4 , White soon runs out of moves, since here or later, 5.c2 will be met by e3 . ] 2...e4+ 3.e3 h5 Ruling out any tricks based on the advance g3-g4. 4.h4? Perhaps Jansa thought that he should prevent ...h5-h4, but that would never work for Black as the separated passed pawns on the c- and h-file would become too strong. Thus the main effect of 4 h4 is that White wastes two valuable spare tempi. [ In contrast, after 4.e2 it is not clear how to win with Black; e.g. d4 5.d2 a5 6.e2 a4 7.d2 a3 8.bxa3 bxa3 9.c3+ c4 10.c2 e3 11.h4! ( but not 11.h3? h4! 12.gxh4 f4 etc ) 11...e2 12.d2 e1+ 13.xe1 xc3 14.e2 b2 ( or 14...d4 15.f3 d3 16.f4 c2 17.e3! ) 15.d2 xa2 16.c2 with a draw. ] 4...c4 The rest is rather easy – Black prepares ...a6-a5-a4-a3 in order to create a fatal weakness on c3, whereas White is confined to passive defence. 5.d2 a5! 6.e2 [ Obviously, 6.b3+ runs into d4 with ...Kc3 next. ] 6...a4 7.e3 a3 8.bxa3 bxa3 9.d2 d4 [ White resigned, in view of the continuation 9...d4 10.d1 ( or 10.c3+ c4 11.c2 e3 ) 10...c3 11.c1 e3 12.d1 b2 13.c4 xa2 14.c5 b2 15.c6 a2 – Suba. ] 0-1
Hort,V Smyslov,V Reggio Emilia [Johan Hellsten]
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5.cxb5 cxb5 6.d5 b4 7.cxb4 cxb4 8.c4 b3 9.axb3 axb3 10.xb3 d6 11.c4 e5 etc. ] 2...e7 [ It was still too early for 2...b5? due to 3.cxb5 cxb5 4.d5 b4 5.cxb4 cxb4 6.c4 b3 7.axb3 axb3 8.xb3 d6 9.c4 – Smyslov. ] 3.f5 b5! Now the white king has moved away, the time is right for this counterstrike. 4.cxb5 cxb5 5.e5 b4 6.cxb4 cxb4 7.d4 e6 8.c4 b3 9.axb3 axb3 10.xb3 d5 11.g5 e4 12.gxh6 gxh6 ½-½
Harikrishna,P Sutovsky,E Montreal [Johan Hellsten]
2007
1986 (Diagramme)
(Diagramme) Black is under pressure, but Smyslov came up with a clever solution. 1...a4! Enhancing any further action on the queenside. [ 1...b5? is less flexible, in view of 2.cxb5 cxb5 3.d5! b4 4.cxb4 cxb4 5.c5 and wins – Smyslov. ] 2.h5 [ Or 2.f5 e7! 3.g5 hxg5 4.hxg5 b5 and the board is left without pawns after
At first sight, Black seems to be on his way towards a safe draw by ...Kf7xf6, but there is a move that changes everything. 1.g4! Clearing a path for the king. [ The alternatives won’t work; e.g. 1.g3? g5 ] [ or 1.f3? f7 2.g4 xf6 . ] 1...hxg4 [ Obviously, 1...h4 fails to 2.g5 . ] 2.g3 f7 3.xg4 xf6 From now on, White wins by means of a proper use of waiting moves. 4.h4! As mentioned in the previous section, if possible waiting moves
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with the king are often preferable to ones with the pawns, which are better saved for later. a5 [ Obviously, 4...a6 would have been met by 5.a3 . ] 5.a4! The idea of “copying” the opponent’s waiting moves is often useful on such occasions. e7 [ Or 5...f7 6.g5 g7 7.h3! f7 8.h6 f6 9.h4 , transposing – Baburin. ] 6.g5 f7 7.h6! King first! [ Neither 7.h3? g7 ] [ nor 7.h4? g7 8.h5 gxh5 9.xh5 h7 leads anywhere for White. ] 7...f6 8.h4! A final accuracy. [ 8.h3? f7 just leads to a draw. ] 8...f7 9.h7 f6 10.g8 [ In view of 10.g8 g5 11.h5 g4 12.h6 g3 13.h7 g2 14.h8+ , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Berbatov,K Chatterjee,D Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) Here is a similar case on the opposite flank. White is a pawn down, but with some help from the opponent he actually managed to win the game, twice applying our main theme. 1.b4! Clearing some space for the king. b6? [ Black has obviously seen that 1...axb4?? 2.b3 would be fatal for him, and tries to keep the b4-square under control. However,
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there is a surprise awaiting. ] [ Instead, the solid 1...a4 was called for, when 2.g4 f5 3.f3 f7 4.h4 is a draw – Baburin. At this point, Black could try g5!? in the spirit of our main theme, but after 5.h5! White achieves a full-board blockade of the kind seen at the end of Chapter Four. ] 2.a4!! A fantastic move – no matter how Black replies, the white king enters. bxa4 [ Or 2...axb4 3.b3! with similar effect. ] 3.bxa5 bxa5 4.b2 The following moves are obvious – after capturing the a-pawns White will attack the d5-pawn, and Black must defend it. f8 5.a3 e7 6.xa4 d7 [ Or 6...e6 7.xa5 f5 8.b4 e4 9.c5 and 10 f3+ next. ] 7.xa5 c6 8.h4 Putting an end to Black’s waiting moves. [ 8.a6 was also possible. ] 8...f6 9.g4 g5 10.hxg5 [ In view of 10.hxg5 fxg5 11.a6 g6 12.a5 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Jirman,P Stluka,P Klatovy [Johan Hellsten]
1995
(Diagramme) With an extra pawn and active rook, Black should have good winning chances. However, his king is absent in the battle, a problem that
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and only now saw the reply a2 14.a3 b3! ( or 14...b1! , exploiting the mating motif on the h-file. )] 13...a2 The rest is easy. 14.g6+ fxg6+ 15.g5 b1 16.c7+ g8 17.xg6 f8 18.xa7 a1 19.xa1 xa1 20.f6 a6 21.g5 b6 22.g6 e7 23.h7 b5 0-1
Moreno Carnero,J Ivanchuk,V Calvia Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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Stluka solved by a clever pawn sacrifice. 1...g5! Clearing a path for the king, and hitting White’s pawn chain. [ 1...g7 2.h3 g5 was less precise due to 3.g4! , opposing the enemy king. ] 2.fxg5 [ Now 2.h3 fails to gxf4 3.xf4 e3 . ] 2...g7 3.h3 g6 4.h4 [ If 4.g4 , then e3 5.f4 e1 , intending ...Rf1-f5. ] 4...e3 5.a5! Active defence. bxa5 6.b5 a3 [ Less is promised by 6...a4 7.a5 a3 8.xa7 xe5 9.xa3 xg5 10.a8 . ] 7.b8! [ After 7.b7?! a6 8.a7 e3 9.xa6 xe5 , Black should win without difficulty. ] 7...a4+ I’m not sure that provoking g3-g4 really favours Black; [ but after 7...d3 8.g4 d5 9.g8+! h7 10.a8 , White also has decent counterplay; e.g. xe5 11.h5! e1 12.g6+! fxg6+ 13.g5 . ] 8.g4 b4 [ Interestingly, 8...a1 9.a8 a4 10.xa7 a3 fails to 11.xa3! . ] 9.g8+! A useful intermediate check, displacing Black’s king. h7 10.a8 b7 11.h5? So far Jirman’s active defence has been excellent, but here he goes astray. [ After 11.c8 , I can’t see an obvious win for Black; e.g. b5 ( or 11...a4 12.c4 , followed by 13 Ra4 ) 12.h5! xe5 13.c7 g7 14.xa7 with g5-g6 as a resource at some moment. ] 11...a4 12.c8 a3 13.c1 [ Perhaps White had prepared 13.c3
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At first sight the position looks about equal – White has fixed his kingside pawns on squares of the “right” colour, while the black knight feels quite comfortable in such a semiclosed structure. However, Ivanchuk has a surprise prepared. 1...f5! A strong advance that clears a path for the king and softens up White’s kingside pawns. 2.gxf5 [ Or 2.f2 f6 , when 3.g3 fails to fxg4 4.fxg4 e4+ – Ivanchuk. ] 2...f7 3.f4 f6 [ Another option was 3...f6 , but Black prefers to improve his king first. ] 4.e5+ xf5 5.xg7 g5 6.e5 [ Perhaps 6.f2 xh5 7.g3 g5 8.e5 was a lesser evil – Ivanchuk. ] 6...xh5 7.b8 a6 The previous pawn trade definitely favoured Black, who can now enter any pawn ending with confidence, thanks to the outside passed pawn on the h-file. 8.f2 g5 9.g3 e6 10.c3 g5 11.d6 f5
12.a4?! [ 12.b8 was more tenacious, when c5 ( while 12...b6 , trying to enhance ...c6-c5, can be met by 13.a7 ) 13.dxc5 xc5 14.f4! h5 15.e3 is just slightly worse for White – Ivanchuk. ] 12...b6 Trying to open a new front by ...c6-c5. 13.b4?! In his eagerness to prevent ...c6-c5, White creates a target for the opponent on c3. [ More solid was 13.b8 , intending to meet c5 14.a7! cxd4 15.xb6 , although after dxc3! 16.bxc3 f4 , Black keeps the advantage – Ivanchuk. ] 13...h5! Black’s actions on the queenside have been limited, so he now resumes play on the opposite flank. 14.f2 [ Worse is 14.h4 g5 15.xh5 xf3 , followed by Ke4-d3 ] [ or 14.b8 f4! , intending 15.xf4 h4+ 16.xh4 xf4 . ] 14...h4 15.e7 h3! The typical function of the outside passed pawn: deflection of the enemy king. 16.d6?! [ The last chance was probably 16.g3 f4 17.d8 , trying to swap pawns; e.g. b5 18.axb5 cxb5 19.c7! e2+ 20.xh3 xc3 21.g2 , when the bishop prevents the entry of Black’s king via f4-e3. ] 16...f4 The weakness on c3 finally takes its toll. 17.g3 e2+ 18.xh3 xc3 19.g3 [ Or 19.a5 b5! 20.e5 bxa5 21.bxa5 c5 and wins – Ivanchuk. ] 19...xa4 20.c7 e6 21.f2 d7 22.f4 c3 23.e3 Now Black wins a second pawn; [ though after 23.d2 b5 , preparing ... Nd6-c4, ...Ke6-f5 and ...a6-a5, the victory should only be a question of time. ] 23...a2 0-1
Stromberg,P Hellsten,J Helsingborg [Johan Hellsten]
1991
(Diagramme) Black is better, both positionally and materially, but he can’t really aspire to victory as long as his king remains marginalized from the battle. Attentive readers of the previous examples will have no problem predicting my next move. 1...g5!
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[ Less productive is 1...h6?! 2.f8+ . ] 2.hxg5 g6 3.f2 White resorts to passive defence; [ seeing that 3.f4 f1+ ] [ or 3.h4 h1+ would be useless. ] 3...g4 4.b2 xg5 5.g3 e6 [ 5...h4+ was more obvious, but the text doesn’t spoil anything. ] 6.e2 h4+ 7.f2 f4 8.e3 [ 8.e1 was more tenacious, with a pure opposite-coloured bishop ending arising from xe1 9.xe1 . Nevertheless, after e3! , White would hardly have any defence against the plan of ...Kd3, ...Bf5-e4 and ...c6c5; e.g. 10.a4 d3 11.a5 f5 12.f2 e4 13.g1 c5! 14.dxc5 d4 15.cxd4 c3 etc. ] 8...g4 Now White’s pieces are inevitably pushed back. [ 8...f1+ 9.xf1 xe3 was also possible, with similar play as in the previous note. ] 9.e1 c2+ 10.g1 e2! Heading for e4, without allowing the check on f1. The rest is easy. 11.h2 f3 12.g1 g4 13.h1 e4 14.h2 h3 15.a5 hxg2 16.e1 f2 17.g1 f5 18.xg2+ xg2 19.xg2 f4 20.f2 e4+ 21.e2 h5 22.d2 h2+ 23.c1 d3 24.b4 c2+ . With ...Rxc3 in the air, White resigned. 0-1
Ljubojevic,L Gligoric,S Belgrade (match) (1) [Johan Hellsten] a
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In a typical ending of the Spanish Exchange Variation, White has a pleasant edge, but how to progress? Ljubojevic found a nice solution. 1.g5! Clearing a path for the king towards g5. hxg5 2.hxg5 fxg5 [ Other moves, such as 2...c6?! , would just lead to a problem with the f6pawn after 3.gxf6 gxf6 4.cd5 . ] 3.g4 c6 4.xg5 As a result of the previous operation White now possesses a passed pawn on the e-file and a long-term target on g7. d4 5.f2 e8 6.f4 e6 Perhaps a bit bothered by the active enemy king, Gligoric tries to chase him away; unfortunately, the f6-square will never become available to the rook. [ Instead, 6...e6+ is well met by 7.g4! , keeping the “magic” distance ] [ but the simple 6...c6 , depriving the enemy knights of the d5-square, seems like a better choice. ] 7.g4 h5 8.d5! Not just attacking the c7pawn, also regrouping the knight to a more comfortable square on e3. c6 9.de3 b4?! This merely creates targets for White on the queenside. [ Instead, Black could have considered the pragmatic 9...e8 , preparing to meet 10.c3 by e6+ ] [ or even 9...xg4!? , getting rid of a piece that soon becomes a problem child. ] 10.c3 bxc3 11.bxc3 b5 12.c4 d4
13.b2! Interestingly, Ljubojevic had the possibility of Rh2 for several moves, but finally his rook finds a more useful working area. e8 14.f5! Swapping Black’s most active piece. [ The tempting 14.b8?! promised less due to e2+ 15.g5 d4! . ] 14...xf5 15.xf5 d7 16.e5! c8 17.f4! White is not scared by the discovered attacks, and just keeps improving his position. [ 17.b8 was also strong. ] 17...e7 18.b8 f6+ 19.g5 d8 20.f5 c7 21.b2! Preparing a shift of angle with Rh2-h7. [ Seeing that 21.b2 h6 is no real defence, in view of 22.g4 h3 23.h2 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Larsen,B Penrose,J Palma de Mallorca [Johan Hellsten] a
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Thanks to his control of the c-file and superior bishop, White is a bit better. However, the direct 1 Rc7?! does not really yield anything. Larsen finds a more long-term idea. 1.g4! Gaining space and limiting the enemy bishop. Two additional observations about this move: 1) placing our pawns on squares of the same colour as an enemy bishop, often has a restrictive effect upon that piece; 2) pawn moves that would jeopardize our king’s safety in the middlegame (for example, imagine a black queen on d6 and a bishop on
b8) sometimes transform into useful advances once the endgame has been reached. [ 1.c7?! can be met by dd7 ; e.g. 2.c8+ h7 3.g4 e4 4.f3 d3 5.1c3 a6 , preparing ...Re2. ] 1...e6 [ Or 1...e4 2.f3 g6 3.f2 with similar play. ] 2.f4! In the same spirit as the previous move. f6 3.f2 The king gets a bit closer to the action, and covers the sensitive spot on e2. f7 4.f3 f8 5.a4! If I am not mistaken, Larsen once said that “when you don’t know what to do, push a rook’s pawn!”, and here he gives good evidence to his statement. The concrete benefits of the queenside expansion are yet to be seen, but it will be never be in vain to have those pawns located a bit further up on the board. [ Again, 5.c7 dd7 was less productive. ] 5...de8 [ With his following moves Penrose opts for a waiting game, seeing that the restrictive 5...a5?! would just create a target for the opponent after 6.c5! b6 7.c6 . ] [ However, 5...g5!? might have been better, gaining some space himself – Larsen. ] 6.a5 d7 7.b4 ed8 8.e2! The bishop was not doing anything particular on f3, and it is now redirected to the more useful b1-h7 diagonal, while a pin-prick with Bb5 also becomes possible. e8 [ If 8...g6 then 9.b5 , when both e7 ( and 9...d6 10.c7 ) 10.c8 lead to trouble for Black. ] 9.d3 e7 10.c8! Just at the right moment, when Black can’t keep both the back ranks under control; [ e.g. 10.c8 ed7 11.f5 d6 12.1c7 . ] 10...xc8 11.xc8 f7 12.b5! Gaining more space, and further restricting Black’s forces. b6? This loses by force. [ 12...d7 was more tenacious, intending to meet 13.a8 ( but White could instead try 13.h4! , when I see no defence against the threat of h4-h5 and Bg6; e.g. e7 14.a8 b6 15.axb6 axb6 16.b8 e6 17.g6+! in similar fashion to the game ) 13...b6 14.axb6 axb6 15.b8 with d6 . ] 13.axb6 axb6 14.b8 e6 15.g6+! f8 Black now finds himself in complete passivity; [ but 15...xg6 obviously failed to 16.f5+ . ] 16.h4 e7 17.g5! Black resigned, in view of the imminent invasion of White’s king; [ e.g. 17.g5 fxg5 18.fxg5 e6 19.h5 hxg5
20.g3 , followed by Kg4xg5, a double exchange on e8 and Kf5-e5. ] 1-0
Moskalenko,V Arencibia Rodriguez,W Holguin [Johan Hellsten] a
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1989
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With a sounder pawn structure and more active pieces White is better, but Black defends for the moment. 1.h4! Gaining space and preparing to soften up the enemy kingside pawns. g8 Quite a passive choice. [ Perhaps Black should have tried 1...h5!? , preventing the further course of the game; e.g. 2.f4 ( not 2.f5? d5+! 3.cxd5 xf5 4.xf5 a6 etc ) 2...e6 3.g5 g6 , followed by ...Kf7. White, on his part, could have eliminated this option by playing 1 g4!? on the first move instead. ] 2.g4 f6+ 3.f4 e6 [ In the event of 3...c6 , White should try something like 4.f5 ( and avoid 4.d5+? c5 ) 4...d7 5.d5 with similar play as in the game. ] 4.d5+! f7 5.f5 The d4-d5 thrust didn’t just eliminate the ...d6-d5 break and fix a weakness on d6, it also opened a path for the knight via d4-c6(b5). e8 6.d4 c7 7.h5! Gaining more space. As with Larsen’s 5 a4! in the previous example, when making such a move you can’t predict its concrete benefits, you just know that it will favour you in some way later on. f6 8.c6 a5
[ On 8...a6 White would proceed just like in the game. ] 9.g5+ f7 10.a7! In knight endings, the knight should usually move around a lot, as we discussed in Chapter Four. a6! Black follows the same recipe. 11.c8 c5 12.xd6+! Activity above material. [ After 12.xb6?! e7 , it is not clear how to progress with White. ] 12...f8 13.e5 xa4 14.e4! Betting on the passed pawn. b2 [ Or instead 14...e7 15.d6+ d8 16.d5 b2 17.c5! bxc5 18.xc5 a4 19.e6 and wins. ] 15.d6! xc4+ [ In the event of 15...d3+ , Moskalenko gives a nice variation: 16.e6 e8 17.d7+ d8 18.d6 a4 ( or 18...g6 19.f6 f4 20.h6 etc ) 19.g6 h6 20.g5! and wins. ] 16.e6 e8 17.f6+! A nice touch, one that neatly shows the potential benefits of pushing your pawns as far as possible in the endgame. [ In contrast, after 17.d7+? d8 18.g6 hxg6 19.hxg6 ( or 19.g5 e5! ) 19...e5! 20.xe5 xd7 , Black draws – Moskalenko. ] 17...d8 [ If instead 17...gxf6 , then 18.d7+ d8 19.g6 etc. ] 18.xh7 xd6 19.xd6 e8 20.e6 a4 21.g6! [ In view of the continuation 21.g6 a3 22.h6 a2 23.hxg7 a1 24.g8# , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Oral,T Slobodjan,R Varadero [Johan Hellsten]
2000
(Diagramme) Just like Example 372 (Ljubojevic-Gligoric), this ending was produced by the Spanish Exchange Variation. Theoretically, White counts on a more mobile pawn majority, but practice often finds him struggling to make it advance, as in the present case. After scanning the rest of the board for other opportunities, Oral came up with a clever idea. 1.h4! Preparing h4-h5 to soften up the light squares in Black’s kingside.
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[ 1.f5?! g6 was less productive. ] 1...b5 Slobodjan looks for counterplay on “his” flank; [ but in hindsight 1...g6 seems a better choice, so as to meet 2.h5 with g5 , making it more difficult for White to progress on the kingside. ] 2.h5! b8 3.g3 With ...g7-g5 being out of the question, White brings his king to a great square on f4, from where it could even move on to f5 and g6 one day. a5 4.f4 e7 [ 4...-- Parrying in advance the enemy plan of 5.f5 xf5 6.xf5! e7 7.d8 , followed by Rg8 and Kg6. ] 5.f5 d7 6.e5! White has seen an unusual, but strong idea: double the rooks on the fifth rank. fxe5+ 7.xe5 a4 This drops a pawn; [ though Black was also in trouble after 7...xf5 8.xd7 xd7 9.xf5 d6 10.f7 g8 11.f5 ] [ or 7...b4 8.dd5 b5 9.e7! xe7 10.xe7+ b7 11.f5 c6 12.e5 xf5 13.xf5 , in both cases preparing Kg6. ] 8.dd5! c4 9.c5+ b6 10.xd6 cxd6 11.xb5+ Having a sound extra pawn, the rest is a matter of technique for Oral. c7 12.f5 axb3 13.axb3 cxb3 14.cxb3 e8 15.a5 b6 16.b4 c8 17.ab5+ a6 18.g3! A prophylactic retreat that yields White additional options later on, in similar fashion to 1 Ka2! in Example 159 (Matsukevich-Lein) in Chapter Three. c4 19.a5+ b7 20.fb5+ c6 [ Or 20...c7 21.a7+ d8 22.bb7! , eyeing g7. ] 21.b8! By means of the threat of 22 Rc8+, White forces the exchange of the rook on d7,
after which the g7-pawn becomes easy prey. d4 [ 21...c7 22.a7+ ] [ or 21...d5 22.a6+ c7 23.a7+ was equally hopeless. ] 22.b5+ [ In view of 22.b5+ c7 ( or 22...d5 23.b6+ c6 24.a7 ) 23.a7+ xb8 24.xd7 , Black resigned – Donev. ] 1-0
Radjabov,T Mamedyarov,S FIDE Grand Prix, Astrakhan [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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this advance is bound to create new opportunities. Besides, the h2-square might become useful for the king. c7 [ In the event of 8...h5!? , White could continue 9.c3 just like in the game, with the hope that the h5-pawn becomes exposed in some future variation. ] 9.h5! d8 10.c3 Preparing c3-c4, so that one pawn stops two. bxc3 11.bxc3 c7 12.c4! d8 13.c6 c7 [ After 13...xa5?! 14.xd6+ b7 15.e7+ b6 ( or 15...c7 16.e4+ ) 16.xf7 e1+ 17.g2 e4+ 18.f3 e2+ 19.h3 , White has excellent winning chances. ] 14.e8+ b7? A tactical oversight. [ Black had to play 14...a7 , though after 15.e4 h6 ( or 15...g6 16.h6! ) 16.h2! , preparing 17 Qg4 and a future invasion of the king along the light squares, White keeps a clear advantage. ] 15.e4+ [ Black resigned, in view of 15.e4+ a7 16.xh7 xa5 17.xg7 e1+ 18.g2 e4+ 19.h3 etc. ] 1-0
Vescovi,G Van Riemsdijk,H Sao Paulo [Johan Hellsten]
1998
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White has some initiative, but how to make progress? 1.a4!? Another abstract space-gainer, with echoes of Larsen. xd5 [ Having seen the rest of the game, it is easy to suggest 1...a5 as a possible improvement. Perhaps Mamedyarov didn’t like the look of 2.c3 , heading for b5, although after c6 3.b5 d8 Black should be okay. ] 2.exd5 d8 [ Now there is no time for 2...a5 because of 3.d6! . ] 3.a5! b5 4.d6! Anyway! Radjabov has seen that the trade of the d5- and a6-pawns will yield him a dangerous passer on the a-file. xd6 5.xd6 cxd6 6.c6 d8 7.xa6 b4 Black appears to be holding his own, but Radjabov now launches the same idea on the opposite flank. 8.h4! Whatever happens next,
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With White to move, 1 h4, followed by Kg2 and the advance of the a-pawn, would be an excellent choice, with similar play to Example 216 (Gurevich-Glek) in Chapter Three.
However it is Black’s turn, and he takes appropriate action. 1...g5! Gaining space and neutralizing the plan outlined in the previous note. 2.h3 [ 2.g2 g4 was less productive. ] 2...g6 3.a6+ f6 4.a4 h5! Renewing the idea of ...g5-g4, cramping the enemy kingside. 5.a5 [ If 5.f1 , then g4 anyway ] [ while 5.g4 A) 5...hxg4 6.hxg4 g7 is also fine for Black – once the enemy king moves over to the opposite flank, the space gained by ...g7-g5 will prove useful in the kingside counterplay; e.g. 7.a8 g6 8.a5 g7 9.a6 g6 10.g2 g7 11.f3 g6 12.e3 h7 13.f3 a3+ 14.e4 g7 15.d5 xf3 16.b8 ( or 16.c6 a3 17.b7 b3+ 18.a7 b4 etc ) 16...a3 17.b6 f5! 18.gxf5 g4 19.c6 f6 20.b7+ xf5 with a draw.; B) By the way, another good option is 5...h4!? and 6...Ra3, targeting the h3pawn. ] 5...g4! With this and the next move, Black leaves White’s king sidelined. 6.hxg4 a1+! 7.g2 hxg4 8.a8 g7 9.a6 g6 10.f4!? a2+ 11.f1 f5! 12.a7 [ After 12.e1? e4! , it is Black who is playing for a win. ] 12...a1+ 13.e2 a2+ 14.d3 a3+ 15.d2 a2+ 16.c3 a3+ 17.b4 a1 18.c5 a3 19.b4 ½-½
Kacheishvili,G Atakisi,U Turin Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2006
(Diagramme) White has a more active game, but Black is solid. Kacheishvili found a profound way of making progress. 1.xc6! xc6 2.xc6 xc6 3.d4 e8 Indirectly protecting the pawn. [ 3...d7?! 4.c7 is less appealing. ] 4.xc6 c8 5.g4! The key move of the game – White hurries to gain space on the kingside, aware that only one weakness on c6 won’t be enough to win the game. [ Less constructive was 5.b4?! bxc6 6.b5
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d7 . ] 5...bxc6 [ After 5...xc6?! 6.xc6 bxc6 , the pawn ending is very pleasant for White, who could consider 7.f4!? , gaining more space; e.g. d7 8.d4 d6 9.e5+ e6 10.b4 with a long-term edge; ( but not 10.c5? g5! . )] 6.c5! In Rubinstein style, White ties the enemy rook to the defence of the weak pawns before taking further action. d7 7.a5 c7 8.b4! b7 9.a3 c7 10.h4 The time is right to continue the kingside expansion. b6 Black’s play is logical too – the king takes care of the queenside pawns, so that the rook can be used for active means. 11.h5 d7 12.f4! Gaining more space, and avoiding a target on the second rank. d1 13.e5 e6 14.h6! From now on, this pawn will be excellently placed in a potential race of passed pawns. [ Anyway 14.f5!? , clearing some space for the rook also looked strong; e.g. exf5 15.gxf5! , preparing 16 Re7. ] 14...a1 [ Or 14...h1 15.g5 h3+ 16.d4 h4 17.c5! xf4 18.e5 f3 19.d6 b7 20.e7! , with the devastating threat of Kf8g7. ] 15.a5 f6 Preventing the entrance of the white king, but only temporarily. 16.g5! Securing the h-pawn and softening up the dark squares for the king. Note the “rook defends pawns” idea performed by the rook on a5. fxg5 17.fxg5 a6 [ After 17...c5 18.xc5 xa3+ 19.f4 b3 20.c8 xb4 21.h8 , White is winning. ]
18.f4 g1 19.a4 [ The immediate 19.e5 was also strong, but first White advances his position on the queenside. ] 19...b1 20.e5 f1+ [ Or 20...xb4 21.a5+ c7 22.xe6 d7 23.f6 with similar play. ] 21.e3 g1 22.a5+ c7 23.xe6 d7 24.f6 xg5 25.f7+ e6 26.xh7 With Black helpless against the duo of the hand e-pawns, the rest is easy. e5 27.e7+ f6 [ After 27...d6 28.e8 h5 29.h8 c7 30.h7 b7 31.f4 , the e-pawn decides. ] 28.c7 e5 29.xc6 g3+ 30.f2 b3 31.xg6 xe4 32.g4+! f5 33.h4 b2+ 34.e3 b3+ 35.d2 1-0
Ivanchuk,V Naiditsch,A Dortmund [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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Thanks to his active rook White is a bit better. Ivanchuk now found a multi-purpose move, one that many elite players would effect without much thinking, as a product of patternized memory, perhaps. 1.g4! Avoiding any first-rank mates, grabbing space, preventing the ideal enemy structure with pawns on f7-g6-h5, and clearing a path for the king. h6 [ Black has the same need to avoid a backrank mate, and decides to put a pawn on the “wrong” colour, since 1...g6 2.g5
would leave his kingside rather cramped. ] 2.g2 c3 3.g5 [ Possibly 3.b7! was more technical, securing the b-pawn while keeping the rook on the seventh rank; e.g. g6 4.b6 g7 5.h4! c7 6.g3 , keeping a slight edge – Ivanchuk. ] 3...b8 4.d3 c8 [ After 4...xb3?! 5.gxh6 gxh6 6.d4 , the pin is very annoying for Black; e.g. a3 7.c2 b3 8.e4! g7 9.e3 a3 10.c4 b3 11.xa5 a3 12.c4 b3 13.f3 , preparing Ke2-d1-c2 – Krasenkow. ] 5.h4 hxg5?! [ 5...h7 6.g3 g6 was preferable, so that 7.g4 can be met by h5+! 8.g3 f6 – Ivanchuk, with White’s king being less active than in the game. ] 6.hxg5 h7 7.g3 [ Ivanchuk also suggests 7.d7 g6 8.b7 f6 9.b6! , in similar spirit to the 3 Rb7 subline above. ] 7...g6 8.f4 c6 9.e4 f6 10.g4 fxg5?! Another dubious capture, which leaves Black’s kingside broken and yields White more space in which to operate. [ More sound was 10...b2 11.h4+ f7 12.f4 with just a slight edge for White – Ivanchuk. ] 11.xg5 e5 Virtually forced, in order to prevent f2-f4-f5. 12.f3! Some kind of zugzwang has emerged: rook moves along the c-file permit 13 Rd6+, while bishop moves to b2 or a1 run into 13 Rd5, winning a pawn. Thus Black is forced to allow White’s king to invade, in pawn ending fashion. f6 13.h5! e7 [ Active defence with 13...e6 14.g6 d4 fails to 15.xd4+ exd4 16.f4! – Ivanchuk. ] 14.h4 The knight finally gets closer to the light square weaknesses in the enemy camp. [ Another option was 14.g5!? with a similar zugzwang as two moves ago; e.g. e6 15.g6! c7 16.h4 , followed by Nf5. ] 14...f6 15.f3+ e6 16.f5 d7?! [ The cold-blooded 16...f7 was better, when 17.d6+ e7 18.c4 keeps the pressure, but at least material equality remains intact. ] 17.d3+ c7 18.xg7 e1 19.f3 For a player of Ivanchuk’s calibre, the rest is a matter of technique, though the coming exchange of rooks probably helped him a bit. c3?! 20.e6+! Creating a barrier for Black’s king before swapping the rooks. c6
21.xc3+ xc3 22.g6 d6 23.f5 c6 24.f4 exf4 25.xf4 If the bishop was a knight and the knight a bishop, then Black would have reasonable hopes of a blockade, but here the white knight is too strong. f6 [ Or 25...d6 26.f5 a1 27.f4 c5 28.d3+ d4 29.e5! etc. ] 26.e5 e7 27.e4 h4 28.d4 g3 29.g5! f4 30.f3 g3 31.c4 . In this hopeless position, Black resigned. One further plan for White is Nd4+, Kd5 and Ne6-c5, winning the a6-pawn – Baburin. 1-0
Carlsen,Ma Caruana,F Sao Paulo/Bilbao [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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As we already discussed in Chapter Four, once there are bishops on the board, the colour of the squares on which the pawns of both sides are located becomes a key factor. Here the queenside structure is already in White’s favour, but this fact alone won’t be sufficient for victory, and Carlsen now turns his attention to the opposite flank. 1.g4! Gaining space, preventing ...h6-h5 with an ideal defensive structure for Black, and fixing the h6-pawn as a target. [ Of course 1.xe8+?! xe8 2.xb6?? failed to b8 . ] 1...f8 2.h4 xe4 [ Here and later, 2...h5 is strongly met by 3.gxh5 gxh5 4.b5! . ] 3.xe4 e8+ 4.d3 e6 5.e3! g7
6.b5 A useful preparation for the further expansion on the kingside. Deprived of any counterplay, Black can expect a long evening. d8 7.h5! d6+ 8.c4 c6+ [ If 8...f5 , then 9.f3! fxg4 10.fxg4 gxh5 11.gxh5 and Black is still a long way from a draw – Carlsen. ] 9.d5 e6 10.d4+ f8 11.f4! More space. In Carlsen’s own words: “With the pawn coming to f5, I felt pretty sure that I was winning. White just gains more and more ground, and eventually Black cannot hold on to everything.” c7 12.f5 d6+ 13.e4 c6 14.b1! A timely shift of angle, in order to attack the h6-pawn. e8 [ Black could have prevented the further course of the game with the ugly 14...g5 , but the invasion of White’s king on the queenside and the permanent risk of Bd4-g7 would make his task difficult anyway; e.g. 15.d5 d6+ 16.c4 e7 17.b5 d7 18.a6 c6 19.b7 c4 20.g7! d6 21.xh6 xg4 22.g7 h4 23.d1 e7 24.c6! c4+ 25.xb6 xa4 26.h1 and the h-pawn decides – Carlsen. ] [ Carlsen also indicates that 14...gxh5 15.gxh5 c4 , so as to keep the h-file closed, would run into 16.a1 c6 17.g1 d6 ( or 17...c4 18.d5 xa4 19.g4! a1 20.c6 h2 21.g7+ e8 22.e4+ d8 23.f6+ etc ) 18.e5! c6 19.g7+ e7 20.d4 f8 21.g7 and the rook invades with decisive effect. ] 15.hxg6 fxg6 16.h1 f7?! [ 16...gxf5+ 17.gxf5 d8 was more tenacious, although after 18.f6! xf6 19.xh6 xc3! 20.xf6! , the ensuing rook and bishop vs. rook ending is won due to Black’s cut-off king and White’s well-placed king and bishop; e.g. a3 ( or 20...c4+ 21.d5 xa4 22.e6 e4+ 23.e5 ) 21.h7! xa4+ 22.d5 a2 23.e6 e2+ 24.e5 f2 25.b7 d2 26.xb6 – Carlsen. ] 17.d5 Just like in the 14...g5 subline above, White directs his king to the opposite flank, while enabling the threat of 18 Rxh6. d6+ 18.c4 gxf5 [ After 18...g5 19.b5 d8 20.a6 c6 21.h3! ( a first zugzwang, avoiding 21.b7 c7+ ) 21...d6 ( or 21...g8 22.f6! ) 22.b7! e8 23.h1 f7 24.c8 , a second zugzwang puts an end to Black’s defence – Carlsen. ] 19.gxf5 d8 20.f6! By now this advance is of
no surprise to us. Here it helps White to swap the rooks, after which Black’s queenside pawns are easy prey. xf6 [ Or 20...g6 21.g1+ f7 22.g7+ e8 23.g6 f7 24.xh6 etc – Carlsen. ] 21.xh6 e7 22.xd6 xd6 23.b5 e6 24.xb6 d7 25.c4 c8 26.xa5 [ White must of course avoid 26.c5? xc5! with a theoretical draw. In the following, he realizes his advantage by means of bridges with the bishop. Interestingly, Carlsen mentions that he already knew of the winning method from the game R.Fischer-P. Keres, Zürich 1959, where an identical ending was reached on the opposite flank. ] 26...b7 27.b4! f4 28.c5 a7 29.c6 b8 30.a5 a7 31.a6 a8 32.c5! White should transfer his king to d7 in order to create a new bridge on the a5-d8 diagonal, but first he must prevent ...Ka7. b8 33.c4 c7 34.d5 d8 35.e6 c7 36.d7 a5 37.e7! . In view of 38 Bd8 next, Black resigned. 1-0
Pelletier,Y Dreev,A Cap d'Agde (rapid) [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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The isolated d4-pawn implies a slight but enduring edge for Black in this endgame. On the other hand, as I think Baburin mentioned on some occasion, knights often prove more useful than bishops in the IQP structure. Before taking any other action, Dreev hurries
to make a useful move on the kingside. 1...g5! Thus Black gains some space and prevents a desirable h3-h4. Moreover, the fact that the enemy kingside pawns are temporarily fixed on the same colour as his bishop favours him too. 2.g3 b5 3.d1 Pelletier starts improving his knights. [ In contrast, after 3.h4?! gxh4 4.gxh4 , his f- and h-pawns would just become exposed to the enemy pieces. ] 3...e8! 4.c3 c6 5.d3 d6 A good post for the knight, from where it has further interesting destinies such as b5, c4 and f5. 6.f4 Getting rid of a weakness, at the cost of somewhat opening the position for the bishop. [ As for the advance of the IQP by 6.b4 b7 7.d5 , Black keeps the advantage after the simple exd5 8.bxd5+ e6 . ] 6...h6! Maintaining the restrictive pawn on g5. 7.g4 Denying the black knight the f5-square, but also fixing pawns on the “wrong” colour. [ Then again, it is hard to suggest anything better; e.g. the active 7.fxg5?! hxg5 8.h4 backfires after gxh4 9.gxh4 f5 – Lukacs. ] 7...b7! 8.g3 c4 Thanks to his previous, prophylactic move, Black does not have to worry about 9 Ne5. 9.h4 f6 In the same spirit as three moves ago. [ 9...gxh4+!? 10.xh4 e3 was also interesting, intending ...Nc2 at the right moment. ] 10.hxg5 hxg5 11.fxg5 fxg5 12.f2 a6 13.a4?! Pelletier aims to chase away the knight by b2-b3, but now more pawns are fixed on squares of the “wrong” colour – Lukacs; [ who suggests 13.d1 instead. ] 13...d6 14.b3 d2 15.c1?! [ In view of Black’s strong reply, active defence with 15.e5 xb3 16.e3 was a lesser evil – Lukacs. ] 15...e5! Usually pawn exchanges favour the defender, but here Black is correct in clearing some space for his king. We saw a similar case in Example 257 (Van Wely-Kramnik) in Chapter Four. 16.dxe5+ [ Or 16.e3 f1+ , heading for h2, just like in the game. ] 16...xe5 17.e3 f1+ 18.f2 h2 19.g3 f3 20.1e2 Undefending the b3pawn, but otherwise 20...Kd4 was a threat. d2! 21.b4 c8 With weaknesses on both flanks and Black’s king dominating the board,
the rest is a nightmare for White. 22.b5 a5! Avoiding any further pawn exchanges, while fixing a target on a4. 23.g1 [ White was short of solid moves; e.g. 23.d1 e6 24.b2 e4 and the black king enters anyway. ] 23...d4! 24.ce2+ d3 25.c1+ e3 26.ce2 e4+ [ If 26...e4+ 27.h3 , then f2! is one of several good replies, completely paralysing the enemy forces. ] 0-1
Shirov,A Sokolov,I FIDE World Championship, Las Vegas [Johan Hellsten] a
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1999
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White enjoys a space advantage, but Black has no tangible weaknesses. Shirov decides to open a new front on the kingside. 1.g4! Gaining space and preventing Black from playing a useful ...h7-h5. Moreover, the fact that White has a dark-squared bishop makes it desirable for him to place his pawns on light squares. [ In contrast, 1.f5? would just invite to e5+ , with Black securing a stronghold for his knight, something that he will be missing in the game ] [ while 1.h4 h5 2.g4 h8 3.gxh5 xh5 4.g4 h8 5.h5 e7 , with ideas like ... Ng8-h6-f5, also yields Black more counterplay than after the text. ] 1...h8 2.c3 h6?! [ It is not clear to me why Sokolov refrained
from the consequent 2...h5 , when 3.gxh5 xh5 4.g1 h4+ 5.g4 h6 looks quite okay for him; e.g. 6.f5 g6! . ] 3.h1 e7 Replying in advance to a potential h4-h5; [ but again 3...h5 seemed more active. ] 4.g1! Thus White complicates the ...h6-h5 thrust, or applying a “mysterious” rook move, to use Nimzowitsch’s terminology. e8 5.h3 f7 6.f5! Exploiting the fact that the knight can no longer easily reach e5, Shirov grabs some additional space and fixes a few more pawns on squares of the “right” colour. c8?! Intending ...Nb6-d7-e5, but it is not difficult for White to prevent that plan. [ Again Black could have considered 6...h5 , giving his rook some prospects of activity. ] 7.d4 a5 [ Or 7...b6?! 8.xb6 cxb6 9.e1 e8 10.e6! with a very uncomfortable ending for Black. Instead, Sokolov establishes a solid pawn structure, but at the same time makes it easier for White to open the a-file later on. ] [ Perhaps 7...e8 with a waiting game was the least of evils. ] 8.c3 b6 9.b4! The time is right for queenside expansion. Incidentally, one virtue of doubled pawns is that when the front pawn advances, the one behind can cover any possible weaknesses, i.e. the c5-square here. axb4 10.xb4 e7 11.a1 h5 [ Black could have considered 11...c8 , preventing Ra7 – Wedberg. ] 12.a7 hxg4+ 13.hxg4 c8 14.c3! With the strong plan of b2-b4 and c4-c5, softening up the enemy pawn chain. Meanwhile, Black is confined to passive defence. e8 15.d4 f8 16.e4 [ Seeing that the immediate 16.b4 permits b5! with some activity, Shirov prepares it. ] 16...f7 17.b4 e8 18.e3 f7 19.c5 bxc5 20.bxc5 dxc5 21.xc5 g6? Now Black ends up in a lost pawn ending. [ Unpinning the knight with 21...e8 was called for – Wedberg, when White, despite his huge advantage, has no immediate path to victory. ] 22.d6! gxf5+ 23.gxf5 cxd6 24.xd6 e8 25.d4! f8 26.xe7 xe7 27.d5 f7 28.xe7 xe7 Black resigned at the same time; [ without waiting for 28...xe7 29.c6 . ] 1-0
Spassky,B Cramling,P Veterans vs. Women, London [Johan Hellsten] a
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Again White enjoys more space and, despite the closed centre, his bishop pair can be considered superior to Black’s knights, which don’t have a stronghold on any part on the board. 1...xc1 2.xc1! A surprising recapture, but Spassky wants to defend the vulnerable d4pawn with his king, so that the rook and darksquared bishop can take upon more active tasks. c8 3.d2 c6 [ An alternative was 3...c4 4.c1 b6! 5.xc8+ xc8 in order to swap the white rook, which will play an important role in the further course of the game. ] 4.e3 f8 5.b4! In Curt Hansen’s words, White aims to advance his queenside pawns to a5 and b5 in order to deprive Black’s knights of the c6- and b6-squares, and indirectly limit any counterplay on that part of the board. b8 [ After 5...a6?! 6.a4 , followed by b4-b5, Black would have an additional problem with the defence of the a-file. Note, too, that Spassky is never interested in swapping rooks with Rc1, as this piece will be useful for him as soon as a new file is opened on any of the flanks; besides, his bishop pair has an easy task controlling the entry squares on c3 and c2. ] [ As for the unexpected 5...f4+!? , White would reply 6.d3! , when the opening of files on the kingside is in his
favour; ( rather than 6.gxf4 h6 , followed by ...Nf5. )] 6.a4 d7 7.a5! Of course this pawn goes first, in order to prevent ...Nb6-c4. d8 This makes little sense after White’s reply; [ but Black was rather short of active options, with 7...c2 8.d3 b2? backfiring after 9.c1 . ] 8.b5 f7 9.d3 g5 [ Thus Black prepares to meet 9...g5 10.g4 with f4+ , followed by ...Kg7 and ...Nf8-g6, but White finds a more efficient way of softening up the enemy kingside. ] 10.h4! h6 11.h1 g7 12.e2! Spassky assures that once he is ready for g3g4, the possible reply ...f5-f4 won’t come with check. f8 13.b4! Ever since 8 b5 this move has been in the air, but only now White executes it, when the threat 14 Bc5 practically forces the return of the knight to d7. d7 14.d2 c7 15.hxg5 xg5 This leads to a bad structure; [ but opening the h-file with 15...hxg5 was risky in view of 16.g4! ; e.g. fxg4 17.fxg4 g8 18.d6! ( 18.h7 , with zugzwang motifs, is interesting too ) 18...c8 ( or 18...xd6 19.exd6 c8 20.h7 ) 19.e7 e8 20.f6 xf6 21.exf6 e5 22.h7+ f8 23.g6 with a decisive 24 Rh7 next – Hansen. ] 16.e2 c8 17.d2 White’s plan now is to break with g3-g4 at the most suitable moment. f8 18.g1 g6 19.b1 No hurry; [ though 19.g4!? was interesting too; e.g. h3 20.g3! hf4+ 21.xf4 xf4+ 22.e3 xd3 23.gxf5+ f8 24.xd3 exf5 25.g6 with a horrible rook ending for Black. ] 19...f8 20.b4 d7 21.e3 g8 22.h1 g7 23.f4 f8 How to progress? Well, as we already saw in Example 276 (HamdouchiBricard) in Chapter Four, one of the virtues of the bishop pair is the possibility to exchange one of them in return for a different advantage. [ After 23...c7 24.g4 fxg4 25.xg4! , with ideas like Bd2 and f4-f5, Black is again in trouble. ] [ With 23...f8 Cramling prepares to meet 24.g4 with g6+ , but runs into a new problem. ] 24.xf8+! xf8 From now on Black will suffer heavily along the c-file; [ but 24...xf8? obviously failed to 25.xh6 .]
25.c1 b6 Cramling avoids an unpleasant b5b6, with ideas like Rc7 and B(x)a6. 26.a6! Fixing a target on a7; [ while avoiding even the slightest glimpse of counterplay after 26.axb6 axb6 27.c6 a8 . ] 26...f7 27.e3! h5 This pawn soon becomes a new weakness; [ but after 27...h7 28.c8 f8 29.f4 , Black’s task was difficult anyway; e.g. e7 ( or 29...g6 30.g4 ) 30.e2! f7 31.h5 e7 32.b8 g8 ( if 32...d7 , then 33.e8 e7 34.b7! ) 33.g4 fxg4 34.xg4 with a decisive zugzwang. ] 28.c8 h7 [ Or 28...f8 29.c6 with the threat of f3-f4 – Hansen. ] 29.f4 f8 30.e2 h6 31.e8 g6 32.f2! The king’s march to h4 will finally break down Black’s defences. h6 33.f3 g6 34.g2 h4 [ 34...h6 35.h3 g6 36.h4 is equally hopeless. ] 35.gxh4 g7 36.h5 h6 37.h3 g7 38.h4 h6 39.xd5! [ In view of 39.xd5 exd5 40.e6 f6 41.e7 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
draw. 1.e2! Preventing the lethal threat of 1...Kf2. h3 2.a2 A waiting move. [ Both 2.e1? (liberating the black king) g2 , heading for f2(f1) ] [ and 2.h5? (displacing White’s own king) g3! 3.a2 ( or 3.h6 g4 and 4...Kf3 ) 3...g2 4.a3 e2 5.g5 g3 , followed by 6...Kf3 and 7...Rb2, were losing for White. ] 2...f2 [ Or 2...f8 3.e2 e8 4.f4! . ] [ In contrast, after 2...f2 , the threat of 3... e2 must be parried, and for that there is only one move. ] 3.a3! f3 [ Or 3...e2 4.f4 . The text creates the threat of 4...Kg2, explaining White’s reply. ] 4.a2! g3 5.e2! . Neutralizing the threat of 5...Rf2, and reverting to the initial position. Draw.
El Debs,F Saldano Dayer,H Campinas [Johan Hellsten] a
example 384 Keres,P [Johan Hellsten] a
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White’s king is badly placed, but fortunately, so is the black rook. As long as White anticipates the opponent’s intentions, he can
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In this theoretically drawn position, White decided to give it a last try. 1.e8 [ Nothing is achieved by 1.xe6+ xe6 2.f5+ f7 3.fxe6+ xe6 . After the text it was time for Black to ask himself a wellknown question: “What does my opponent have in mind?” ] 1...f7! The threat of Rf8-f6 must be
prevented. [ Instead, the game saw 1...b6? 2.f8! g7 3.f6 a6 4.g5! b6 5.f5 and White went on to win. ] 2.a8 Creating a new threat: 3 Kg5 and 4 Ra7+. c1! A timely shift of angle; [ preparing to meet 2...c1 3.g5 with g1+ .] 3.a7+ g6 4.e7 c6 . Black defends – Baburin; we are in fact back in the initial position.
Ulibin,M Bashkov,V Cheliabinsk [Johan Hellsten] a
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Evidently, ...Kg3 is in the air, but how to react against this threat? 1.g6! The only move, in order to tie the black king to the g5-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 1.b6 g3 2.b3+ h2! 3.b4 g2! 4.c4 g4 5.c8 g1+ 6.e2 g3 and White resigned. As I mentioned in Chapter Two, in such endings a knight’s pawn becomes very powerful when the defending king can’t be placed in front of it. ] 1...f4 [ Or 1...h4 2.g1 g4 3.f6 h3 4.f1 and White just makes it to form the passive defence. ] 2.g1 g4 3.f6+ g3 4.f1 . Draw – Panchenko.
Vallejo Pons,F Postny,E European Championship, Aix les Bains [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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With an extra pawn and a more active rook, White should be winning. Nevertheless, his task was facilitated by the next, typical move. 1.b5! Tying the black rook to the a5-pawn. g7 2.g4 g6 3.e3 f6 4.f3 a7 Black can only wait, while White advance his positions on the kingside step by step. 5.h3 a8 6.g3 g6 7.c5 f6 8.h4 g6 9.b5 f6 10.f4 a7 11.f3 g6 12.c5 f6 13.e4! The king gets ready to move over to the queenside. a8 14.d4 e7 [ On 14...a7 White could indeed play 15.c4 , heading for b5. ] 15.e5! By means of the threat 16 Rc7+ Vallejo provokes ...f7-f6 in order to weaken the seventh rank and the black kingside pawns. [ Less technical was 15.h5 d6 16.xh6?! b8 ] [ or 15.c4 d6 16.b5?? b8+ . ] 15...f6+ [ Or 15...a7 16.g5 with zugzwang. ] 16.e4 f7 17.c7+ g8 [ Obviously, 17...g6 failed to 18.h5# . ] 18.e7 a6 19.f5! exf5+ [ If 19...e5 , then 20.e6! – De Dovitiis. ] 20.xf5 c6 21.g6 1-0
Sanaguano,J Morales,M Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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Eggleston,D MacQueen,C British Championship, Sheffield [Johan Hellsten]
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2011
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White has the sounder pawn structure, but more significant is the fact that, in one strike, he can leave both the black rook and king restricted for the rest of the game. 1.e6! Tying the enemy rook to the c6-pawn, and the king to the f6-pawn. [ In contrast, the game saw 1.e4?! e8! and Black had fewer worries. ] 1...c8 2.a4! A useful move that gains some space, whereas Black can’t undertake anything active. [ The natural 2.f3 c7 3.e4?! was less promising due to e7! . ] 2...c7 [ After 2...a5 3.axb5 cxb5 4.a6 White wins a pawn, although c4! 5.xa5 cxd3 6.cxd3 c3 7.xb5 xd3+ may give Black greater saving chances than in the main line. ] 3.a5 c8 4.f3 c7 5.d4! [ Seeing that 5.e4?! e7 6.xe7+ xe7 7.d4 is successfully met by d6! , White adjusts his move order. ] 5...cxd4 6.e4 e7 [ Or 6...c5 7.xa6 with an easy win thanks to White’s superior activity and the powerful a-pawn. ] 7.xe7+ xe7 8.xd4 d6 9.b4! d7 10.c5 c7 11.c3! . Creating a second zugzwang, with a quick win.
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Despite the pawn minus Black should be able to save himself here, thanks to his active rook. 1.c4 [ Seeing that 1.c6? runs into c1 , White takes preparative action. ] 1...e1! Tying either of the enemy pieces to the defence of the e4-pawn. [ Instead, the game saw 1...b1? , upon which White could have won by 2.c6 e5 3.c5 c1+ 4.b6 b1+ 5.c7 b4 6.h8 e6 7.e8+ f7 8.b8 xe4 9.d6 etc – Baburin. ] 2.c6 [ After 2.h4 d7! , White won’t progress; e. g. 3.d5 ( or 3.b5 b1+ ) 3...d1+ . ] 2...xe4+ 3.c5 e1 4.b6 [ Or 4.c7 d7 . ] 4...b1+ 5.c7 e5 Black just draws; [ e.g. 5...e5 6.d7 d1+ 7.e7 f5 8.e6+!? f4 9.c7 c1 10.d7 xc7+! (avoiding the bridge on c6) 11.xc7 g3 12.g6+ f3 13.d6 f4 14.e5 e3 etc, promoting to a knight if necessary. ]
Nielsen,PH Sutovsky,E Dortmund [Johan Hellsten]
2005
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Zinn,L Bronstein,D East Berlin [Johan Hellsten]
1968
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Black’s position seems difficult, but Sutovsky came up with a clever idea. 1...f4! Tying the knight to the g5-pawn. [ In contrast, 1...e5? is strongly met by 2.d2 , heading for e4. ] 2.h4 [ Or 2.a5 e5 3.d2 xg5 4.a6 c6 with similar play as in the game. ] 2...g3! In the same spirit. 3.a5 [ More critical was 3.h5 , gaining some space before proceeding as in the game, although after f4 4.a5 e5 5.d2 gxh5 6.gxh5 xg5 7.a6 c6 8.c4 c7! , Black should still draw; e.g. 9.e4 b8 10.f5 c1 11.xe5 a7 12.g4 xa6 13.f6 b5 14.xh7 c6 15.g5 d6 16.h6 b2 17.g6 e7 – Shipov. ] 3...e5 After the restriction of the enemy knight, Black is ready for active measures. 4.d2 Nielsen gives up a pawn in exchange for some activity; [ seeing that after 4.a6 e4+ 5.e3 b8 6.d2 a7+ 7.e2 e5 , White is far from victory. ] 4...xh4 5.e4 c6! Parrying the threat of 6 Nf6+, while getting a bit closer to the a-pawn. 6.c4 e1 7.a6 h4! Restriction again! 8.a7 b7 9.d5 xg5! A little combination on the motif of a theoretical draw. 10.xg5 h5 11.gxh5 gxh5 12.xe5 xa7 . A draw was soon agreed. ½-½
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White has reasonable activity for the pawn minus, with the rook tying Black’s king to the g6-pawn. With his next move Bronstein tries to change this situation. 1...g5 2.h6! White switches the focus of his restriction to the h5-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 2.hxg5?! xg5 3.b8 g4 4.g8+ g5! 5.a8 ( or 5.xg5+ xg5 6.xe4 g4 etc ) 5...xg3 6.xe4 h4 7.a3+ g4 8.a1? ( the decisive mistake, with 8.e3 f5 9.a8! still being a draw ) 8...h3 9.e3 h2 10.f2 a5! 11.xa5 h1 and Black went on to win. ] 2...g4 [ Or 2...gxh4 3.xh5+ . ] 3.g6! And again back to the g-pawn. b5 [ At this point, Black could even lose the game by 3...xg3?? 4.xg5+ . ] 4.xe4 b4+ 5.e3 xg3 6.xg5+ xh4 7.g8 . In contrast to Example 192 (ZhukovaPogonina) in Chapter Three, here the defender’s king is sufficiently close to the pawn, so it is a draw.
Tadic,B Perunovic,M Serbian Championship, Kragujevac [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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Here is a similar case with reversed colours. Thanks to his active rook, which is tying both the enemy rook and king to the defence of their fellow pawns, Black is a bit better. 1.f3? A logical move to try and liberate the king, but the effect will be just the opposite after Black’s strong reply. [ Correct was 1.f4 in the same spirit. ] 1...g2! 2.f4 [ After 2.fxg4? xg3+ White loses a pawn for nothing. ] 2...f2! Completely paralysing the enemy forces. 3.d3+ e6 4.c3 f1 Losing a tempo in order to create a passed pawn on the next move. 5.e3 b5! 6.c3 bxa4 7.bxa4 c5 [ There could have followed 7...c5 8.b3 xf3+ 9.xf3 gxf3 10.xf3 c4 11.f4 c3 12.e3 e5 13.d3 c2 14.xc2 xe4 and 15...Kf3 next – Baburin. ] 0-1
Leko,P Carlsen,Ma Miskolc (rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
2008
(Diagramme) Nobody would like to be in Black’s shoes here,
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but Carlsen found an unexpected salvation, based on the idea of tying the enemy king to his fellow pawns. 1...g4+! [ Any other move, such as 1...g1? ] [ or 1...g4? , is met by 2.b6 and the connected passed pawns take their toll. ] 2.a5 [ Or 2.b3 g5 3.c4 g4+ 4.d5 b4! with similar play as in the game; e.g. 5.c6 g4 6.b6 f5 7.c7 e6 8.c6 d5 with a draw soon. ] 2...c4! A key move in order to prevent the advance b5-b6, while also controlling the cpawn. 3.b6 [ Or 3.c6 g4 4.b6 xc6 5.b7 c1! 6.b8 a1+ etc. ] 3...g4 4.c6 [ Black also draws after 4.c6 f5 5.c7 e6 6.b7 d7 7.b6 c1 . ] 4...f5 5.d5 c1 6.b6 d1+! A useful intermediate check to release White’s obstruction. 7.c6 e6 8.b7 b1 9.c7 d5! Cleverly tying White’s king to the c6pawn. 10.c6 b2 11.d7 [ Or 11.b8 xb8 12.xb8 xc6 . ] 11...b6 12.c7 xb7 13.d8 xc7 ½-½
Dolmatov,S Panchenko,A Training game [Johan Hellsten] a
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1977
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1.h6! [ Seeing that 1.g4 is met by h6! , confidently blocking the kingside, White makes a more constructive try. ] 1...xh6 2.g4 Now the threat of Kh5-g6 seems decisive, but Black has a way of interfering with that plan. d2! Intending ... Be1 in order to tie White’s king to the defence of the h-pawn. [ Also good is 2...e3! ] [ or 2...f4! in the same spirit ] [ whereas any other move loses; e.g. 2...d7? 3.h5 d2 4.g6 e7 5.g7 and the h-pawn costs Black his bishop. ] 3.h5 e1! . White can’t make progress: draw – Panchenko.
Slobodjan,R Hellsten,J Dresden [Johan Hellsten]
1994
(Diagramme) Here is a more complex endgame, which features a similar restriction technique. Thanks to Black’s passive king, White has real chances of obtaining two far advanced passed pawns on the kingside. But how should that plan be initiated?
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1.h5? We will soon see the defect of this move. [ 1.g6? was also bad in view of e1 ] [ while 1.g4? d2! is similar to the game. ] [ The correct choice was 1.f5! , moving that pawn before it is pinned by ...Bd2. There can follow d2+ 2.h5 b5 3.g4 e1 4.g5! (before the pawns keep on rolling, the king should be placed on g6) b4 5.h5 a5 6.c2! (avoiding any pawn exchanges and, indirectly, the scenario of a theoretical draw) c3 7.g6 d4 8.g5 e7 9.b3 c3 10.h6! gxh6 11.f6+ f8 12.gxh6 and with Black’s bishop being obstructed by the f6-pawn, the one on the h-file decides matters. ] 1...e1 2.g4 d2! The key move of the game, which ties the enemy king to the f4pawn, thus preventing its walk to g6. 3.d5 c1 4.c4 d2 [ Theoretically speaking, 4...a5 was preferable in order to avoid a weakness on a7, but here this isn’t a big deal. ] 5.f5 c1 6.a6 d2 7.e5 e7 8.c4 c1 9.g5 d2 10.f5 [ After 10.h6 gxh6 11.gxh6 c3+ 12.f5 b2 , Black manages to control both passed pawns; e.g. 13.g6 c3 14.h7 f8! etc. ] 10...f8 11.a4 c1 12.b5 d2 13.e5 e7 14.a6 c1 15.e4 d2 16.f3 c1 17.g4 d2 18.f5 c3! Having completed its duty on the c1-h6 diagonal, the bishop returns to the long diagonal in order to control the crucial f6-square. [ Also possible was 18...d6 19.h6 gxh6 20.g6 c3 21.h5 g7 , when 22.f6 xf6
23.xh6 c5 24.g7 xg7+ 25.xg7 b4 26.b5 a6 27.e8 b5 forces a draw. Nevertheless, the text is much simpler and, as we will see next, it would draw even if Black had a pawn less on the queenside. ] 19.c4 f8! [ But not 19...d4? 20.f6+! gxf6 21.g6 f5+ 22.xf5 g7 23.g5 f6+ 24.h6 f8 25.h7 and White wins. ] 20.f3 [ After 20.h6 gxh6 21.gxh6 e7 , Black successfully applies the idea of one single diagonal, just as in the 10 h6 subline. ] 20...d2 21.g4 c3 22.d3 b2 23.f6 This advance makes little sense, but White had no method of realizing his advantage anyway. gxf6 24.g6 g7 25.f5 c1 ½-½
Hector,J Volokitin,A German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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Botvinnik,M Smyslov,V World Championship, Moscow (2) [Johan Hellsten] a
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Thanks to Black’s remotely placed king, White can win this. 1.f5! Limiting the enemy bishop before approaching the king. [ Less precise is 1.e6?! h6 2.d5 b5 , when White would have to revert to the right idea by 3.d4+! , followed by 4 Nf5 ] [ while 1.d7? g7 2.f5 ( or 2.e6 h8 ) 2...h8 is a theoretical draw, now that the bishop is controlling the passed pawn on a much longer diagonal. In fact we already
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came across such an endgame in Example 43 (Zubarev-Forcen) in Chapter One. ] 1...c4 2.d7 d5 3.e8 1-0
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In this endgame with unbalanced material, Black has just played ...Nb8-a6, parrying the threats of Rc8+ and Rc7. 1.b4! Simple and strong – Smyslov will never get a chance to activate his knight on a6, which incidentally happens to be at the “magic” distance from White’s bishop. [ Most other moves, such as 1.h3?! , would allow ac5! and Black is back in the battle. ] 1...h6 2.h3! h7 3.d3 Black now loses a pawn, and the rest is easy for Botvinnik. f6 4.b5 c5 5.xc5 bxc5 6.xc5 b8 7.a4 b7 8.dc3 [ In view of 8.dc3 e4 9.c7! , Black resigned – Kasparov. ] 1-0
Hort,V Ciocaltea,V Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
1973
(Diagramme)
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White’s bishop pair is a big asset, but if Black manages to get his knight to d7, the worst should be over for him. 1.g5! Limiting the enemy knight. [ 1.f2 f6 2.b4 e7 was less effective; e.g. 3.g5 d7 4.h4 b6 5.d3 c8! , preparing ...Bf5. ] 1...c8 2.g4! Neither is Black allowed to activate his bishop by 2...Bf5, and he can also forget about ...Ng7-f5. d7 3.f2 e7 4.a5! Yet another restrictive measure. Now Black practically has a piece less, due to the sorry state of the knight on e8. c8 5.e3 d7 6.b6 c8 7.e4 d7 8.b3 c8 9.c5! A decisive breakthrough. d7 [ Obviously, 9...dxc5 10.xc5+ and 11 Kxe5 is terminal. ] 10.c6 c8 11.c4 g7 12.d3! e8 13.c3 . In view of Kb4-a5 and Bxa6, Black resigned. 1-0
pieces hopelessly restricted, Black gives up a pawn. ] 2.gxf5 gxf5 3.xf5 g6 4.e3 f6 5.d2 g7 [ Or 5...e7 6.f5+ f6 7.g3! , followed by Ne4 – Vogt. ] 6.g2 e6 7.d5! The knight has found a great destiny on c3. h5 [ 7...d6 8.c3 c7 was marginally better, although after 9.e4+ xc6 10.xg5+ , the h-pawn should decide. ] 8.c3 [ Both players must have overlooked 8.c7 d7 9.f3! and White wins on the spot. Anyway, nothing is ruined by the text. ] 8...c7 9.f1 f4 10.xb5 xb5 11.xb5 d6 12.f1 xc6 13.e3 The rest is easy. d5 14.f3 e4+ 15.g4 d3 16.xg5 xf2 17.h4 e5 18.h5 e3 19.h6 e4+ 20.g6 f6 21.b4 1-0
Vogt,L Franzen,J Stary Smokovec [Johan Hellsten]
Kharitonov,A Pigusov,E USSR Army Championship, Tashkent [Johan Hellsten]
1979
(Diagramme) Thanks to his strong passed pawn and powerful bishop, White is a bit better, though things might change if Black manages to activate his king. 1.d5! Preventing 1...Kg8. e8 [ Seeing that 1...c7 2.f7! would leave his
1987
(Diagramme) Despite a symmetrical pawn structure, White has some advantage here thanks to his more active pieces. 1.a6! Preventing 1...Rc8. e8? Too passive. [ Black should have tried 1...d5 in order to
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Shaked,T Benjamin,Joe New York Open [Johan Hellsten]
1998
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liberate himself by ...Ne4-c5 and ...f7-f6, although after 2.f3! xa2 3.a1 b3 ( or 3...d5 4.e4 ) 4.a3 c2 5.c6 d5 6.e4 e7 7.b7 e8 8.d4 , followed by Rxa7, White is still better – Kharitonov. ] 2.f3! With this and his next move, White prevents the enemy plan outlined in the previous note. a8 [ Or 2...d5 3.b3 , followed by e3-e4 with similar play – Kharitonov. ] 3.e4 e7 4.f2 g5 Unfortunately for Black, the knight can’t move either here or later due to Rd7+, while ...Rd8 obviously leads to the loss of the f7-pawn. Thus he is left without a constructive plan, and his position can be considered as lost already. 5.e3 f8 6.b4! With the powerful idea of b4-b5 and Nc6+. b8 [ A tactical try with 6...b5 7.xb5 b8 fails to 8.c6! – Kharitonov. ] 7.b5 e8 [ Perhaps Pigusov only realized at this point that 7...b7 fails to 8.c6+ xc6 9.bxc6 e8 10.d7+ f6 11.c7 etc. ] 8.c6+ f8 [ After 8...xc6 9.bxc6 , the c-pawn decides – Kharitonov. ] 9.xa7 . In view of 10 Nc8 next, Black resigned. 1-0
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White has a long-term asset in his more mobile pawn majority. Shaked now makes an interesting choice, with echoes of the famous game Em.Lasker-J.R.Capablanca, St. Petersburg 1914. 1.f5! Gaining some space but, more importantly, restricting Black’s minor pieces. Incidentally, the idea of limiting a bishop by placing one’s pawns on squares of the same colour is familiar to us from Example 373 (Larsen-Penrose). [ In contrast, 1.f2?! f5! 2.e5 e6 yields Black freer play than in the game, despite the fact that his kingside pawns are fixed on the “wrong” colour. ] 1...c5 Logically enough, Benjamin prepares ... Nc6-e5 in order to exploit the fresh weakness on e5. 2.f2 c6 3.d5 2h6 4.f4! The squares vacated by a pawn advance are often of immediate interest to its fellow pieces, a fact that I highlighted several times in 'Mastering Chess Strategy'. Here White aims at further activating his king (what a contrast with its black counterpart!) and clearing the e3-g4 route for the knight. b8 [ Or 4...d4 5.c3 xe2+ 6.xe2 , keeping a pleasant advantage. ] 5.e3 e5 6.g4! Swapping the prominent knight on e5, after which an advance of the pawn majority will be easier to achieve. xg4 7.xg4 b7 8.d2 c6 9.f3 b7 10.g4! White is finally ready to convert his pawn
majority into a passed pawn. h2?! This exchange merely seems to reduce Black’s potential for counterplay. [ I guess that either 10...h4 , interfering with the enemy plan ] [ or 10...a5 , creating some play on the queenside, was more promising. ] 11.xh2 xh2 12.g2 h1 13.g5! fxg5+ [ Obviously, 13...h4+ is met by 14.g4 . ] 14.xg5 f1 Otherwise White plays 15 Kf6. 15.f4 b1 16.b3 b2?! This won’t end well, but Black’s position was already difficult. 17.e5! Of course; White exploits the absence of Black’s king in the defence. xa2 18.e6 fxe6 19.f6! xf3 20.xf3 e5 21.f7 1-0
Mikhalevski,V Kaganskiy,G Ashdod [Johan Hellsten] a
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2004
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the near future. h5 3.d2 h4 4.e3 h3 5.b3 b4 [ Or 5...a4 6.bxa4 bxa4 7.a3 with zugzwang – Mikhalevski. ] 6.f3! Black has run out of moves, and must now rely on a sacrifice. e6 7.c8+ f7 8.xa8 xd4+ 9.g4 e2 10.xa5 The rest is rather easy, with the rook clearly outstripping the knight. c3 11.a7+ e6 12.a6+! A useful intermediate check to keep Black’s king cut off from the sixth rank. e7 13.f3 d4 14.xg6 xa2 15.e4 f7 16.b6! Yet another typical restriction measure. c1 17.xb4 d3 18.e3 g6 19.d2 e2 20.xd3 g3 21.hxg3 h2 22.f5+! . With 23 Rh4 coming up, Black resigned. 1-0
Psakhis,L Saidy,A Honolulu [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this tense position, Black is preparing ...g7g6 and ...Kg7 in order to liberate his knight and king. Mikhalevski finds a surprising antidote. 1.g6! fxg6 [ Obviously, 1...xg6? loses a piece to 2.c8+ ] [ while 1...hxg6 2.f4! is similar to the game; e.g. b4 3.b3 f6 4.d2 f5 5.e3 g5 6.fxg5 f4+ 7.f3 g6 8.h4! with a decisive zugzwang – Mikhalevski. ] 2.f4! Further restricting the enemy kingside. Now it becomes clear that Black won’t be able to move either his king or his minor pieces in
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Material is equal, but White’s activity is overwhelming. Seeing that Black might be about to play ...Kh7-g6, Psakhis takes restrictive measures. 1.h4! h7 [ After 1...g6?! , Black’s cut-off king soon becomes a decisive factor; e.g. 2.b4 a3 3.g4! b3 ( or 3...a5 4.b5 a4+ 5.xe5 xg4 6.b6 and the b-pawn decides – Psakhis ) 4.h5!? (it isn’t yet necessary to swap the e-pawns) gxh5 5.gxh5 a5 6.b5 a4 7.d5! xe3 8.a7 b3 9.c5
with b6-b7 and Ra8+ next. Imagine the final position with the black king on f6 instead – in that case e4 10.xa4 and 10...Ke5 would be just one comfortable way to the draw, whereas here the passed e-pawn is clearly missing the support of the king. ] 2.h5 c5 [ Or 2...a1 3.g4 g1 4.f5 – Psakhis. ] 3.g4 [ Not 3.f5? e4+! . With the text Psakhis secures the h5-pawn and gains some additional space. ] 3...a5 4.f5 a4 This loses a pawn, but White was ready to pick up one anyway by e3-e4 and Ke6-d6. 5.a7 b5 6.xa4 xb2 7.xe5 Rook endings with three pawns against two on one single flank are often drawn, but here the passed e-pawn and White’s space advantage are telling factors. g2 8.f4 a2 9.e4 a5+ [ The last chance was 9...g5! 10.f7+ g8 11.b7 f2 – Psakhis, although after 12.e6 f4 13.e5 xg4 14.f6 f4+ 15.g6 , I suspect that Black is in big trouble anyway. ] 10.e6 a6+ 11.f5 f6+ 12.e5 a6 13.f8! A good place for the rook, where it restricts the enemy king and enhances a future advance of the e-pawn. a5+ 14.f4 a1 15.b8 f1+ 16.e3! The e-pawn is finally ready to move forward. g1 [ If 16...e1+ , then 17.d4 d1+ 18.c5 with similar play as in the game. ] 17.e5! e1+ [ Or 17...xg4 18.e6 g5 19.f4 g1 20.e7 and wins – Psakhis. ] 18.d4 d1+ 19.c5 c1+ 20.d6 The rest is easy. d1+ 21.e7 g1 22.e6 xg4 23.d6 d4+ 24.e5 d1 25.e7 e1+ 26.d6 d1+ 27.c5 c1+ 28.d4 1-0
Hellsten,J Ahlander,B Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
2003
(Diagramme) With two sound extra pawns White is winning. Black’s last move, ...b7-b6, motivated me to play for a little trick. 1.f1+! e7
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[ Objectively 1...g5 was better, when 2.e3 , preparing Rd1-d4, is just one idea. ] 2.f5 d6 3.xe5! xe5 4.c4 Material is now even, but Black’s rook is no longer a normal rook, of course. d4 5.g4 [ In view of 5.g4 xc4 ( or 5...e4 6.g5 f5 7.d2 xg5 8.c3 ) 6.bxc4 xc4 7.g5 d5 8.d3 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Adorjan,A Eley,B Teesside [Johan Hellsten] a
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1973
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In this innocent-looking position White found a way to apply the idea of isolation. 1.xc5! xc5 2.c4 Suddenly the rook on c5
is short of breathing space. e8 3.f4 a5 Obviously, the threat of b2-b4 had to parried. [ If 3...a5 , then 4.g4! e6 ( or 4...g6 5.b4! a4 6.f5 with material gains ) 5.a4 c5 6.b3! with a decisive advantage – Adorjan. In effect, Black is a rook down here. ] 4.g4! g6 5.h4 Gaining more space. [ In contrast, after 5.xg6?! xe1+ 6.xe1 hxg6 7.b3 b5 , Black might soon be able to liberate his rook, with increased chances of survival. ] 5...d8 [ Or 5...exe5 6.xe5 xc4 7.f1 and White’s kingside initiative should take its toll. ] 6.b3 b5 [ The optimistic 6...d2 fails to the simple 7.ad1! , intending xa2 8.xg6 hxg6 9.e8# . ] 7.h5 e8 [ On 7...d3 Adorjan had prepared 8.ad1 bxc4 9.bxc4 c2 ( or 9...xc4 10.xd8+ xd8 11.c1 ) 10.xd8+ xd8 11.c1 with inevitable material losses for Black; e.g. e4 12.f2! a4 13.e3 g2 14.g1 h3 15.d4 a5 16.xc6+ . ] 8.a4! Very nice, ruling out any attempts at ... d5xc4 followed by ...a5-a4 and ...Ra5. By now the rook on c5 resembles a statue. bxc4 9.bxc4 d4 10.h2! g6 [ Or 10...xf4 11.d3 with decisive material gains – Adorjan. ] 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.ad1 [ Black resigned, in view of 12.ad1 xe5 ( or 12...xd1 13.xd1 g5 14.g3! ) 13.fxe5 xc4 14.e6 c5 15.d2 d5 16.ed1 – Adorjan. ] 1-0
Einarsson,B Shengelia,D Canaries Junior Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1995
(Diagramme) This would be a typical endgame in the Carlsbad structure, was it not for the curious pawn on b4. Albeit weak, exactly that pawn caused White’s downfall in the game! 1.a1 a8 This and Black’s next move are forced in order to maintain the material balance. 2.a4 fb8 3.ea1?! A natural
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follow-up; [ but with hindsight 3.c1! , A) intending 3...-- 4.xb4 xa5 5.xc6 , was a better way of preparing the capture on b4. ( 5.-- ); B) At this point, 3...b5 4.xb4 a6 5.e4! isn’t fully convincing for Black; C) who could instead try 3...g6!? 4.xb4 xa5 5.xc6 a2! , preparing ...Re8, with some activity for the pawn. ] 3...f5! In the particular kind of position that now arises, prevention of e3-e4 will play an important role. 4.xb4?! Consequent, but risky. [ Instead, after 4.a6 , White would have kept some initiative thanks to his sounder pawn structure. ] 4...b5! Of course! With 5 axb6 out of the question, White has to live with a rather comical rook on b4. 5.c1 [ 5.e4! fxe4 6.fxe4 was a good alternative, when d8 can be met by 7.exd5 xd5 8.c1 a6 9.c5! xc5 ( or 9...d6 10.d5! ) 10.dxc5 xa5 11.d4 a3 12.d6 and a draw is in the air. ] 5...a6 6.c5? After this indifferent move, the rook is buried alive on b4. [ Again 6.e4 was called for, with similar play as in the previous note. ] 6...e8! Preventing the the e3-e4 advance. 7.f2 e6 8.h3 f7! Very clever. [ On the obvious 8...xa5? White had prepared 9.a4! , reverting to a normal endgame; e.g. bxa4 10.xa5 axb3 11.a3 etc. With the text Shengelia instead prepares to defend the c6-pawn with the king, so that the rooks can be used for
active means. ] 9.g4 g6 10.e2 e7 11.d3 d6 12.d2 [ Einarsson would have liked to activate his “healthy” rook, but unfortunately for him, 12.c2 xa5 ] [ or 12.c1 at any moment permits xa5 . ] 12...e8 13.d3 e7! With the strong plan of ...Ra8-e8, which finally forces White to abandon the a-pawn. 14.gxf5 gxf5 15.h4 a8 16.c2 xa5 17.e2 a1 18.e4 fxe4+ 19.fxe4 xe4 A simple piece of technique, swapping the opponent’s good pieces. 20.xe4 dxe4+ 21.xe4 h1 0-1
Ten Hertog,H Kanarek,M European Junior Championships, Albena [Johan Hellsten] a
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With just the e- and f-pawns on the board this would be a draw, but here the greater number of pawns decides the battle in Black’s favour. All the same, he must pay attention to White’s possibilities of reaching a theoretical draw. 1...d7! [ Seeing that 1...e3+? fails to 2.xe3 fxe3+ 3.xe3 d5 4.d2 and Kc2-b2(b1)-a1, Black first regroups his bishop to the b1-h7 diagonal, where it will limit the enemy king. ] 2.c1 There is nothing better. e3+ 3.xe3 fxe3+ 4.xe3 f5! 5.d2 [ Or 5.c6 d5 6.c7 c4 7.d2 b3 with a transposition. ] 5...d4 6.c6 c4 7.c7 b3 8.c1 a2! [ But not 8...xa3? 9.c8! xc8 10.b1
with a draw. ] 0-1
Brynell,S Moberg,K Gothenburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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In this endgame, which featured in 'Mastering Chess Strategy', the pawn structure speaks heavily in White’s favour, who could even capture the weak c5-pawn at this moment. However, Brynell first pays attention to the opponent’s plans. 1.c3! Directed at Black’s only resources for counterplay, ...Nc6-b4 and ...Nc6-d4. [ In contrast, 1.xc5?! b4 would be less technical. ] 1...a5 2.h4 White is ready to carry on with his own play, in this case the advance of the pawn majority so as to create a passed pawn. As for the c5-pawn, it won’t run away. h5 3.g5! g6? Black deliberately gives the opponent a protected passed pawn, but he had no good defence against 4 f6+ anyway. 4.f6+ e6 5.a4! Before taking on c5, White softens up the c4-pawn. b4 6.xc5+ d5 7.b7! Tying the black knight to the defence of the a-pawn. f7 8.d2 bxc3 9.bxc3 d8? [ Black resigned without waiting for 9...d8 10.xd8 . Anyway, even without this timetrouble blunder he was lost in view of the inevitable Ne4(xc4)-d6. ] 1-0
Socko,B Piorun,K Polish Championship, Warsaw [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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16.xc7 g5 17.hxg5 xg5 18.d6 etc – Socko. ] 12.c4 xf3 13.c7 f4+ 14.d5 f5+ 15.c6 f6+ 16.b7 f7 17.b5! . A final piece of restriction, cutting off the black king. As for the obvious Kb8, it can wait until the next move. 1-0
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Despite the material balance White has the initiative thanks to his active rook. However, if Black manages to achieve ...g6-g5 and ...Kg6 his problems would probably be over. 1.h4! Complicating the plan outlined in the previous note. f6?! [ Active defence with 1...g5! 2.hxg5+ xg5 3.xh7 g6 was called for – Socko, who also mentions that a similar endgame was held by Black in M.Tal-M.Botvinnik, World Championship (20th matchgame), Moscow 1961. ] 2.g3 f5? This passive defence will soon prove fatal for Black. [ Again he should have resorted to 2...g5 . ] 3.c7 f6 4.g4 Zugzwang – Black has to let the enemy king get closer. e6 5.f4 f6+ 6.e5! The c6-pawn is much more valuable than the one on f3. f5+ [ Or 6...xf3 7.xc6 h5 8.b6 xh4 9.c6 f8 10.c7 c8 11.d6 and the d-pawn decides in the end – Socko. ] 7.d6 f4 8.xc6 xd4 9.b6 c4 [ After 9...xh4 10.c6 c4 11.c7 xc7 (otherwise 12 Rc6) 12.xc7 g5 13.d6 f4 14.xd5 xf3 15.e5 h5 16.f6+! ( but not 16.xg6? h4 with a draw ) 16...g3 17.xg6+ , White wins – Socko. ] 10.xd5 c3 11.c6 d3+ [ Or 11...h5 12.b4! in the same spirit of denying enemy counterplay; e.g. d3+ 13.e6 xf3 14.c7 c3 15.d6 xc7
Taimanov,M Van Elst,A Neisse [Johan Hellsten] a
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1993
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White has a slight but pleasant advantage thanks to the weak d6-pawn and the passive bishop on c8. At this point, a natural plan for him is b3-b4, a2-a4 and b4-b5, softening up the enemy queenside, but Taimanov first asks himself what might the opponent have in mind, and takes restrictive measures. 1.f4! Preventing any enemy activity associated with ...Ne5 or ...f5-f4, while fixing the f-pawns on the “right” colour. h6 2.b4 e7 3.f2 d7 4.b1! [ The immediate 4.a4 would run into c5 . ] 4...g7 5.a4 White continues his queenside advance, and at the same time sets a little trap. c5?! Black falls right into it. Anyway, his position was quite difficult, with no active plans at hand. 6.e2! xa4? [ After 6...b6 7.c3 e6 8.d5 , White is also much better, but now he wins outright. ] 7.b5! With the decisive threat of 8 Nc3. fe6 [ Or 7...axb5 8.c3 , followed by c4xb5 – Taimanov. ]
8.c3 axb5 9.cxb5 xe3 10.d5! The most technical finish. gxf4 11.gxf4 [ In view of 11.gxf4 3e6 12.xe7 xe7 13.a2 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Taimanov,M Aronin,L USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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White has an extra pawn, but the enemy pieces radiate considerable activity. 1.d4! Instead of taking another pawn, Taimanov gives priority to the restriction of Black’s counterplay. [ Obviously, 1.xe3? xb2 , followed by ... Rxb4, would just favour Black ] [ while 1.xg7?! g2+ 2.h1 e2! is also unconvincing for White; e.g. 3.h3 ( or 3.c3 d1! ) 3...h5 4.d4 c2 5.c3 xe4 – Taimanov. ] 1...g4 2.xg7 xh2 [ Of course not 2...xh2? 3.f4 . ] 3.f6+! Such intermediate checks are familiar to us from Chapter Three. e7 4.f2! xf2 5.xf2 Evidently, the exchange of the active black rook has made White’s task easier. h5 6.e3 e6 7.f4 Next White should try to create a new front, as the e-pawn won’t win the game by itself. g4 8.d4! Restricting the knight by means of the “magic” distance. [ The endgame arising after 8.g5?! f2 9.xh5 xe4 10.g4 is less clear – Taimanov. Whereas now 9 Kg5 is a threat, which explains Aronin’s next move. ]
8...h2 9.f2! f6 [ In the event of 9...g4 , Taimanov had planned 10.g1! with some kind of zugzwang; e.g. e5 11.d4 f7 12.g7! , when Black can no longer prevent the entrance of the white king. ] 10.g1 f1 In view of the threat 11 Bd4+, releasing the opposition, Black ties the enemy king to the g3-pawn. 11.d4+ f7 [ After 11...e6 12.c3 f7 13.e1! f6 14.e5+ e6 ( or 14...g6 15.f2! d2 16.d4 in similar fashion to the game ) 15.g5! xe5 16.xh5 , the g-pawn decides. ] 12.f2 g6 [ 12...e6 13.g5 ] [ or 12...f6 13.e1! is no better. ] 13.e5 h2 14.d4! Preparing e5-e6. f7 15.f5 The rest is easy. e7 16.e3 g4 17.f4 f2 18.e6 d3 19.d6+ e8 20.g6 xb4 21.xh5 d5 22.g4 b5 23.cxb6 xb6 24.g5 d5 25.g6 c5 26.g7 [ Of course not 26.xc5? f4+ . ] 26...f6+ 27.g6 g8 28.xc5 1-0
Karpov,A Ribli,Z Amsterdam [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.a6! Restricting the enemy queenside. [ In contrast, the lazy 1.g2?! would permit a6! 2.xb6 xb6 3.xb6 xb2 with excellent drawing chances. ] 1...f8
[ In the event of 1...b7 2.bxb6! xb6 3.xb6 , White wins a pawn. Nevertheless, after xb2 4.xa7 xa7 5.xa7 , the compact pawn formations yield Black some hope for salvation – Karpov, and this possibility returns on the next move. ] 2.b4 e5 3.ba4 [ The desirable 3.b3 permits c7! 4.ba4 b7 and Black liberates himself to some extent. ] 3...b5? Black insists on keeping the material balance, but the passivity of his pieces will be a striking factor for the rest of the battle. [ The endgame a pawn down that emerges after 3...xb2 4.xb6 b7 5.xa7 c8 was a lesser evil – Karpov. ] 4.a2 b7 5.b3! An excellent move so as to keep pawns on both flanks. [ Instead, after 5.xa7?! xb2 6.xb2 axa7 7.xa7 xa7 8.xb5 h5! , Black’s drawing chances again increase despite the pawn minus. ] 5...b8? Positional surrender. [ The active 5...c8 was called for, when after 6.xa7 xa7 7.xa7 c2 8.b7 xe2 9.xb5 d6 , White’s task would be more difficult than in the game. ] 6.c5 e8 7.d4! Karpov starts exploiting his central majority. d7 8.e4 e6 9.b4! Before pushing d4-d5, it makes sense to rule out any counterplay with ...b5-b4 and ...Rb5. c8 10.d5 exd5 11.exd5 d7 [ The liberating attempt 11...e5? failed to 12.e2 – Karpov. ] 12.d6! Further locking up Black’s pieces. d8 13.g2 The beginning of the end: once White’s king enters the battle, Black’s defences will prove exhausted. d7 [ Seeing that 13...e8 runs into the unpleasant 14.d7+! xd7 15.f6 , Ribli prepares it. ] [ As for 13...b7 , Karpov indicates 14.f3 e8 15.f4 h6 16.h4! with g3-g4 and h4h5 next, softening up the light squares for the king. ] 14.e2! More restriction. c8 [ Now Black can forget about 14...e8 in view of 15.xe8 xe8 16.f3 , followed by Ke4-d5, with a complete paralysis of the enemy forces. ] 15.e7 d7 16.a2! A decisive shift of angle. Evidently, the rook needed a very good reason to leave its restrictive post on a6, where it had stayed for 15 moves! [ In contrast, the greedy 16.c6+? b7
17.xd7+ xc6 18.xf7 would have left all the previous efforts in vain after a5! . ] 16...a5 [ White also wins after 16...xd6 17.xd7 xd7 18.d2 ] [ or 16...d8 17.b6+! c8 18.c2+ – Karpov. ] 17.c2 . With 18 Bb6+ coming, Black resigned. 1-0
Back to Contents Page
Chapter Seven
Exchanges Simplification Transpositions Piece exchanges Pawn exchanges
Simplification At any moment of the game, piece exchanges usually have a great impact on the battle, and I dedicated one chapter to this subject in Mastering Chess Strategy. In the endgame, exchanges become an even more delicate issue, as they dictate what type of ending (pawn ending, rook ending, etc) will appear on the board. As the old saying goes, when assessing an exchange don't look too much on what leaves the board, but what stays there. Let's start with some positions where one player enjoys a material advantage. In such cases, swapping pieces is generally a good idea, especially if a pawn ending can be reached. Such a direction of play is often referred to as simplification . Example 413 Example 414 It is interesting to reflect upon the weight of an extra pawn in different types of endings. Under normal circumstances, the extra pawn is most strongly felt in pure pawn endings, possibly followed by knight endings. In contrast, rook endings usually offer good drawing chances despite a pawn minus – seeVolkov-Rublevsky, Lipnitsky-Smyslov and Caruana-Anand earlier in the book; while in Polgar-Gashimov and Acs-Zvjaginsev, even two pawns were not enough for a win. Obviously, even greater drawing chances are offered by opposite-coloured bishops. In the middle of the scale we would find queen endings and endings with bishops of the same colour, in which the extra pawn is sometimes enough for victory, and sometimes not. As we will see later on, the above thesis is not without exceptions, but it could be used as a general guideline at the moment of deciding upon one or another exchange. Example 415 E.Perez-L.Inciso, Caldas Novas 2011 A typical idea for the side with extra material is to hand over a pawn in order to effect the simplification. Example 416 S.Mamedyarov-V.Akobian, Gibraltar 2012 Example 417 V.Anand-A.Giri, Monaco (rapid) 2011 Example 418 T.Heinatz-J.Hellsten, German League 2000 Example 419 C.Hanley-M.Townsend, British Championship, North Shields 2012 On occasion, the stronger side can even consider re-establishing the material balance if the simplification can bring him other benefits. Example 420 J.Hellsten-C.Holst, Malmö 1999 Example 421 P.Schiller-J.Hellsten, Malmö 1991 Example 422
Example 422 V.Anand-A.Grigoryan, Corsica (rapid) 2011 Obviously, the simplifying measures don't solely have to produce pawn endings in order to be effective. Here are two examples where more pieces remained on the board after the simplification. Example 423 A.Karpov-B.Spassky, USSR Team Championship 1975 Example 424 J.Timman-B.Larsen, Montreal 1979
Transpositions Due to their concrete nature, pawn endings are delicate terrain. Don't enter them without some careful calculation beforehand, in particular if you are on the defending side! Here are some illustrative examples. Example 425 M.Bohorquez-B.Bejar, Ambato 2012 Example 426 D.Brito-H.Llamuca, Riobamba 2010 Example 427 V.Korchnoi-L.Trent, London 2009 Example 428 A.Llamuca-B.Bejar, Riobamba 2012 Example 429 H.Teske-L.Fressinet, German League 2010 Example 430 G.Welling-T.Porrasmaa, Tromsø 2009 Example 431 J.Hellsten-B.Adler, Sollentuna 1995 Of course a transposition to a pawn ending doesn't lead the defender into defeat on every occasion. We already saw a related case in Brynell-Sokolov (in Chapter One); here are a few further examples. Example 432 V.Teterev-A.Shirov, European Cup, Plovdiv 2010 Example 433 I.Balog-L.Vajda, Balaton 2010 Example 434 R.Schnabel-G.Orlov, Seattle 1993 On the basis of the previous examples, we can presume that a transposition to a pawn ending won't always lead the attacker to victory either. Here is one example. Example 435 G.Paez-M.Adasme, Arica 2009 As we discussed earlier in this section, a transposition to a rook ending tends to be an excellent idea for the defender. Here are some examples. Example 436 M.Carlsen-S.Karjakin, World Rapid Championship, Astana 2012 Example 437 H.Erdogan-T.Markowski, European Championship, Istanbul 2003
Example 438 J.Radulski-V.Petkov, Bulgarian Championship, Plovdiv 2008 The previous examples showed that a transposition to a rook ending tends to make the defender's task a bit easier. From this follows that the stronger side often does right in avoiding that type of ending. Here is one illustrative example. Example 439 M.Matulovic-J.H.Donner, Palma de Mallorca 1967 Of course a transposition to a rook ending isn't the best choice for the defender on every occasion, and conversely, sometimes it can represent a good option for the stronger side. Here are two related examples. Example 440 E.Frank-M.Ernst, Austrian Championship, Zwettl 2012 Example 441 D.Valerga-E.Real de Azua, Buenos Aires 2006 Given the high drawing tendency in endings with opposite-coloured bishops, a transposition to such a type of ending can sometimes be used as a defensive weapon. Example 442 J.Timman-V.Salov, Saint John (4th matchgame) 1988 Example 443 G.Lozano-J.Sanaguano, Azogues 2008
Piece exchanges Next, let's examine some specific objectives supported by exchanges. To start with, if one player has a bad structure, his opponent will generally be happy to swap pieces, making the structural deficits more strongly felt with every exchange. We already saw this strategy being successfully applied inFischer-Addison and Hellsten-Waitzkin (in Chapter Two), among others. Here are two further examples. Example 444 G.Uquillas-B.Matute, Cuenca 2010 Just like any other strategic idea, the exchange also applies in reversed form – if your opponent is favoured by an exchange, avoid it! Example 445 A.Sokolovs-V.Baikov, Moscow 1992 When one side possesses an outside passed pawn, piece exchanges almost invariably favour him, as we saw several times in Chapter Two, starting with Fischer-Larsen. Here is one additional example. Example 446 A.Grischuk-C.Bauer, World Rapid Cup, Cannes 2001 Another positional asset which tends to grow with every exchange is the queenside pawn majority, at least when both sides have castled short. We saw proof of this fact in Erenburg-Murariu and Teske-Fressinet, and here is another one. Example 447 E.Gleizerov-N.Grandelius, Stockholm 2010 It is usually believed that queen and knight make a good team, as we already saw inMilman-Hungaski. On the other hand, the bishop is often well complemented by a rook, a fact illustrated inAlekhine-Euwe and Onischuk-Salov (in Chapter Four), among others. Here are two further examples related to these phenomena. Example 448 L.Vogt-U.Andersson, Cienfuegos 1975
Example 449 J.Hellsten-T.Sammalvuo, Hallsberg 1996 As we saw in several examples in Chapter Four, the bishop pair is usually a great asset in any ending. Therefore the opponent is often happy to swap one of them, as in the following example. Example 450 W.Uhlmann-F.Olafsson, Reykjavik 1968 On the other hand, sometimes it is the side with the bishop pair who deliberately swaps one of them in exchange for another advantage. We already witnessed this idea in Hamdouchi-Bricard and Spassky-Cramling, and here are two more. Example 451 J.Ehlvest-I.Rausis, Riga 1995 Example 452 Y.Kuzubov-C.Haas, Zürich 2009 At any moment of the battle, it is common sense that we should keep our active pieces on the board, and welcome the exchanges of active enemy pieces. The latter recommendation was successfully followed in several previous examples, such as Schmidt-Kasparov (1...Rd7), Kotov-Florian (6 Nd4), Ljubojevic-Gligoric (14 Nf5), Shaked-Benjamin (6 Ng4) and Taimanov-Aronin (4 Rf2). On the other hand, in Savchenko-Couso we saw Black infringing the former one by swapping his active knight (5...Nc4) for no obvious reason. Here are a few further examples on this topic. Example 453 J.Hellsten-C.Michel Yunis, Santiago 2005 Example 454 H.Llamuca-M.Morales, Riobamba 2009 Needless to say, the exchange of queens has a particular effect on the battle. From my experience, swapping one's active queen is quite a common endgame mistake in practice, and it seems to appear with more frequency when facing stronger players, perhaps because of a false belief that the absence of queens makes a peaceful result more probable. Here is one example. Example 455 L.Andreassen-M.Carlsen, Tromsø 2006 The material relation of rook and pawn vs. two minor pieces has different implications in the three stages of the game. In the opening, the minor pieces almost always outperform the rook and the pawn, due to the usually discrete role of the rooks in that phase. In the middlegame, the team of minor pieces tends to keep some superiority, particularly in the scenario of an attack on the enemy king. In the endgame, however, the rook and pawn team often proves stronger, partly because the rook has more space to work with, partly because the value of the pawns increases in the final phase of the game. Here is one illustrative example. Example 456 F.Ruiz-A.Cardenas, Riobamba 2012 As we discussed in Chapter Five, the queen tends to be an excellent companion to the passed pawn. Thus on many occasions the side possessing a passed pawn is favoured by the presence of queens on the board. Here is one related example. Example 457 B.Bejar-F.Ruiz, Riobamba 2011
Pawn exchanges While piece exchanges generally favour the stronger side, with pawn exchanges it is the other way around - the fewer number of pawns on the board, the higher the probability of a draw. One way to explain this phenomenon is that the attacker has fewer fronts to work on; another that theoretical draws (rook and knight vs. rook, for example) are more likely to emerge when there are few pawns left on the board. As a consequence, swapping pawns is an excellent defensive idea on most occasions, one that we are already acquainted with fromKarpov-Korchnoi (4...f5)
excellent defensive idea on most occasions, one that we are already acquainted with fromKarpov-Korchnoi (4...f5) and Ponomariov-Korchnoi (5...h6), among others. Conversely, the attacker should usually avoid pawn exchanges, a principle that we saw being applied in Barhudarian-Rozentalis (6...g5), Onischuk-Salov (17...h5), Karpov-Ribli (5 b3), and others. Even so, there do exist cases where the attacker is happy to realize a specific pawn exchange, seeing that its benefits outweigh the fact that fewer pawns remain. We saw two such cases in Van Wely-Kramnik (10...a5) and Pelletier-Dreev (15...e5). Likewise, the defender could – on rare occasions – avoid a pawn exchange if there exists a good reason for doing so, as we saw in Fressinet-Krämer (20...Kg4). Here are some further examples which feature all four cases. Example 458 A.Skripchenko-I.Vasilevich, Russian Team Championship 2006 Example 459 O.Spirin-A.Mista, German League 2009 Example 460 J.Lautier-M.Gurevich, French Team Championship 2000 Example 461 V.Korchnoi-A.Miles, Baden-Baden 1981 Example 462 E.Sutovsky-E.Rozentalis, Ashdod 2004 Example 463 V.Iotov-M.Nikolov, Bulgarian Championship, Plovdiv 2008 Example 464 J.Hellsten-G.Vescovi, World Junior Championships, Halle 1995 Naturally, the idea of swapping pawns isn't limited to rook endings. Here is an example that features a different type of ending. Example 465 G.Kasparov-A.Karpov, World Championship (2nd matchgame), London/Leningrad 1986 Next, let's see two examples where the stronger side avoided pawn exchanges and was duly favoured by the greater number of pawns on the board. Example 466 C.Sandipan-J.Hebert, Cappelle la Grande 2010 Example 467 R.Ponomariov-P.Leko, Dortmund 2010 Here is one of those rare cases where the exchange of pawns doesn't favour the defender, but the attacker. Example 468 E.Atalik-S.Guramishvili, Turkish Team Championship 2011 In the previous example Black had no choice but to accept the exchange of pawns proposed by the opponent. Here, in contrast, he rejects it – an unusual decision but essential on this occasion. Example 469 V.Kotronias-E.Berg, Stockholm 2007 Chapter 8: Classical Themes Back to Contents Page
example 413 [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black to move wouldn’t lose, but it is White’s turn, and he exploits the moment to reach a pawn ending. 1.e4! [ 1.g4? would be horrible, when hxg4 2.xg4 is a draw even without the black bishop. Later on in this chapter we will come back to the subject of exchanging pawns. ] 1...g7 [ Or 1...xe4 2.xe4 g6 3.e5 etc. ] 2.xg6 xg6 3.e4! Taking the diagonal opposition. f6 4.f4 . White wins.
example 414 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) Knight endings can be filled with tricks, but here White has a direct path to victory. 1.c3! Forcing the exchange of knights. [ 1.e4 d6+ 2.d4! is also possible ( but not 2.d5? c4 3.a4 b6+ and Black achieves a valuable pawn exchange ) , as 2...c4 fails to 3.a4 . ] 1...d6 [ After 1...e5+ 2.e4 , the b5-pawn falls. ] 2.e4+! In a pawn ending White’s extra material will be felt more strongly. [ In contrast, the creation of a passed pawn by 2.h4? gxh4 3.gxh4 would be a bad idea here: with the knights still on the board,
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Black can organize decent counterplay, one specific idea being a timely sacrifice of the knight; e.g. g6 4.g4 h6 5.h5 g7 6.g5 f7+ 7.f5 d6+ 8.e6 c4 9.xb5 xa3! 10.xa3 h6 . ] 2...xe4 3.xe4 e6 4.h4 gxh4 5.gxh4 f6 6.d5 . White wins.
Perez,E Inciso,L Caldas Novas [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is a pawn up, but a battle on one single flank usually favours the defence. Anyway, the next move forces the transposition to the stronger side’s preferred type of ending – a pawn ending.
1.b8! g8 [ Or 1...g5 2.h8+ g6 3.b6+ f7 4.xh6 with an easy win. ] 2.xg8! [ The game actually went 2.e7+?! g7 3.e8 g8 4.a7+ g7 5.a3 f7 6.f8 e7 7.xe7? xe7 and the defender’s preferred type of ending was reached – a rook ending, in which a four vs. three majority on one flank often ends up in a draw, even if the f-pawn would probably have been better off on f7. ] 2...xg8 3.xg8+! xg8 4.g2 White wins comfortably; [ e.g. 4.g2 f7 5.f3 e6 6.e3 e5 7.f4+ d5 8.d3 h5 9.h3 c5 10.e4 fxe4+ 11.xe4 d6 12.f5 g5 13.g4 etc. ]
Mamedyarov,S Akobian,V Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten] a
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White found the simplest way to victory. 1.f6+! xf6 [ Or 1...g6 2.f7 g7 3.f8+ xf8 4.d8+ f7 etc. 5.d7+ ] 2.d8+! . A queen exchange is inevitable on the next move, so Black resigned. 1-0
Again, the winning process is somewhat complicated by the presence of queens. Anand made a practical choice. 1.e6! xe6 [ There is nothing better; e.g. 1...f4 2.e4+ .] 2.dxe6 g6 3.f4 [ Black resigned, in view of 3.f4 f6 4.f5 g6 5.fxg6 xe6 6.f3 f6 7.f4 xg6 8.e5 etc. ] [ Note that 3.g3 f6 4.f4 xe6 5.g5 was just as good. ] 1-0
Heinatz,T Hellsten,J German League [Johan Hellsten]
2000
(Diagramme) By returning one of the pawns, Black secured a transposition to a pawn ending. 1...h2! 2.f4+ [ Or if instead 2.xh2 f1 3.f2 xe2 4.xe2 xe2+ 5.xe2 f4 6.f2 e5 and Black wins. ] 2...d6 3.d3 [ On this occasion 3.xh2 is met by f1 4.f2 xe2 5.xe2 xe2+ 6.xe2 c5!
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etc. ] 2.fxg5 fxg5 3.c4! Preparing a decisive breakthrough. e5 4.b4 f4 5.b5 xg4 6.c5! 1-0
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, again winning. ] 3...c3 4.xh2 e4 5.d2 xd3+ [ In view of 5...xd3+ 6.xd3+ xd3 7.xd3 d5 , White resigned. ] 0-1
Hanley,C Townsend,M British Championship, North Shields [Johan Hellsten] a
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White has two extra pawns, but the pressure against g4 is annoying. Hanley found an elegant solution. 1.g5! [ The similar 1.b5! also works – Baburin. ] 1...xg5 [ Or 1...fxg5 2.f5+ f6 3.fxg6 xg6 4.c3
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In order to realize his extra pawn White needs a square for his queen where it will assist the b-pawn and at the same time protect the kingside. 1.c5! xc5? Despite the rapid recovery of the pawn Black will be lost in the ensuing pawn ending; [ so 1...f3 was a better choice, when 2.b5 keeps good winning chances. ] 2.bxc5 f7 3.g4! This space-clearer had to be anticipated when offering the exchange of queens. [ After 3.g2? e6 4.f3 d5 5.g4 hxg4+ 6.xg4 xc5 , Black makes a draw. ] 3...hxg4 4.g3 f5 5.f4 e6 6.c6 [ Also good is 6.g5 d5 7.h5! gxh5 8.xh5 xc5 9.g5 and after taking the second pawn, White’s king will find itself on a key square. ] 6...d6 7.h5! gxh5 8.xf5 xc6 9.g5 d6 10.xh5 g3 [ Or 10...e5 11.xg4 f6 12.f4 etc. ] 11.fxg3 e6 12.g6 1-0
Schiller,P Hellsten,J Malmo [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...c3! 2.e5+ b6 3.d4+ [ 3.d6+ a5 4.c7+ b6 5.e5+ b5 6.c7+ a4 7.f4+ b4 ] 3...a5 4.xc3+?! [ More tenacious was 4.c5+ b5 5.bxc3! , staying in a queen ending; e.g. a4 6.d4+ c4 7.d1+ xa3 8.c1+ a4 9.c2+ b3 10.xg6 xc3+ 11.b1 . ] 4...xc3 5.bxc3 b5 6.b2 c4 7.a4 b5 [ 7...d3 8.b3 e4 was also good. ] 8.axb5 [ If 8.a5 , then b4 . ] 8...xb5! Creating a decisive outside passed pawn. 9.b3 g5 10.c4+ c5 [ In view of 10...c5 11.c3 a5 12.b3 d4 etc, White resigned. ] 0-1
weak pawn on g5, a completely different plan is available: the transposition to a pawn ending. 1.a7! h7 2.e2 g7 3.d3 h7 4.c3 g7 5.b3 a1 6.c4 a5 7.b4 a1 8.b5 b1+ 9.c6 a1 10.d6 a6+ 11.c7 a2 12.b6 b2+ 13.c6! a2 [ After 13...c2+ 14.d6! a2 ( a further rear attack with 14...d2+ 15.e6 e2+ fails to 16.f5 ) 15.c8! ( not 15.d8? a6+! , a move which can now be met by 16 Rc6 ) 15...xa7 16.c7+ xc7 17.xc7 , White wins in similar fashion – Golubev. ] 14.d8! The pawn is abandoned in order to force the exchange of rooks, after which the weak g5-pawn will decide matters. xa7 15.d7+ xd7 16.xd7 f7 17.d6 [ Also good was 17.f3 f6 18.d6 etc. ] 17...f6 18.d5 f3 19.d6 f7 [ Black resigned at the same time, without waiting for 19...f7 20.e5 . ] 1-0
Anand,V Grigoryan,A Corsica (rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
Karpov,A Spassky,B USSR Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) We are familiar with such positions from Chapter Three, where the stronger side usually undertook a king transfer to the queenside. However, Anand is about to show us that, in such a kingside structure with a
(Diagramme) To facilitate the winning process, Karpov starts looking for the exchange of rooks. 1.d4! Tactics at the service of strategy. de8 [ 1...ee8 obviously failed to 2.xb6 ]
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[ 1...f8 while after 2.d7 ee8 3.b5 e6 4.c6! , White would reach his goal anyway. ] 2.d7 g4 3.c8 f6 [ Or 3...e1+ 4.g2 1e2+ 5.h3 f2+ 6.h4 2e4+ 7.g4 xg4+ 8.xg4 and wins – Karpov. ] 4.xe8+ xe8 5.b7 e6 6.b8+ e8 7.a4 White starts working on his pawn majority, whereas Black doesn’t have even a trace of counterplay. g6 8.b4 g7 9.b7 h5 10.h3 f6 11.g2 d6 12.a5 bxa5 13.bxa5 e6 14.a6 c7 15.a7 e7 16.c6+! [ Instead of giving Black some hopes of a fortress after 16.xc7?! xc7 17.a8 g7 , Karpov goes for zugzwang. ] 16...e5 17.f3 . Seeing that any move loses material, Black resigned. 1-0
Timman,J Larsen,B Montreal [Johan Hellsten]
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d6 5.d5 b8 [ After 5...g5 6.g4 c4 7.h5 c3 8.b3 e4 9.xh6 xf2 10.h4 , White should also win. ] 6.f4 a7 7.e5 b5 8.c4 a6 9.d5 [ Another good option was 9.xb5+ xb5 10.d5 c4 11.a6 c3 12.a7 c2 13.a8 c1 14.b7+ etc – 'ChessBase'. ] 9...xa5 10.xc5 c3 11.d5 d1 12.f4 f2 13.d4! Preparing to trap the knight. b4 [ If 13...b6 , then 14.e3 d1+ 15.d2 b2 16.b3 and Kc2 next – 'ChessBase'. ] 14.f3 xh3 15.e3 g5 The only defence against the threat of Bg4 and Kf2. 16.f5 g4 [ Or 16...c5 17.g4 g1 18.f2 h5 19.xh5 h3+ 20.f3! and wins – 'ChessBase'. ] 17.xg4 g5 18.d4! Obstruction. b3 19.h5 c2 20.f6 d2 21.f7 e6+ 22.e5 f8 23.d6 . In view of Ke7 and Bg6 next, Black resigned. 1-0
1979
(Diagramme) Black has just played ...c6-c5 in order to prevent 1 Qf8+. 1.c4! By means of the threat 2 Qg8+ and 3 Qxg7+, Timman swaps the active enemy queen. [ 1.b8+?! d7 2.g8 c6 was less technical. ] 1...xc4 2.xc4 e8 3.f3 c7 4.a5
Bohorquez,M Bejar,B Ambato [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) Black is slightly better due to his sounder pawn structure – one pawn stops two – but White should be able to hold without much effort.
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1.e3? This is not a losing move, but a step in the wrong direction, since any structural deficiencies will be more strongly felt in a pawn ending. [ The active 1.c8 was just one alternative, staying in the safer waters of a rook ending. ] 1...e5! 2.xe5?! There was no reason to help Black in activating his king. [ Correct was 2.f3 xe3+ 3.xe3 e5 4.f3 d4 5.h4! , securing a draw after gxh4 6.g5 e5 7.g4 . ] 2...xe5 3.e3? Despite its natural appearance, this move loses as the king is displaced in relation to the plan with h2-h4 that we just saw. [ Thus 3.f3! d4 4.h4! was called for, transposing to the previous line. Note that the importance of precise calculation grows once the pawn ending is reached. ] 3...d5 4.h4 [ Or 4.f3 e5! 5.g3 e4 6.h4 gxh4+ 7.xh4 e3 8.g3 d4 9.g2 d3! and wins. ] 4...gxh4 5.g5 [ 5.f4 doesn’t help either in view of e5+ . ] 5...e5 6.g6 f6 7.f4 xg6 0-1
Brito,D Llamuca,H Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme)
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White is minimally better thanks to her sounder pawn structure and control of the open file. Even so, after 1...Qd5, say, Black’s defensive task should not be too difficult – but he fell for a different idea. 1...c6? 2.xc6 bxc6 3.f1! In “king first” fashion, White sends her king to b4 in order to exploit the fresh weaknesses on the enemy queenside. Needless to say, the absence of queens (and rooks) on the board makes such a plan easier to achieve. f8 4.e1 e7 5.d2 d6 6.c3 c7 7.c4 b6 8.b4! White starts losing tempi with the king, so that the enemy reserve of waiting moves is exhausted. [ The game took quite a different turn: 8.b4? h5 9.h4 f6 10.g3 g6 11.a4 g5 12.a5+? ( this natural move in fact seems to be losing, so waiting with 12.c3 is preferable ) 12...b7 13.c5 c7 14.c4 d6 15.b3 d5 16.c3 g4 17.b3 e5! 18.dxe5 fxe5 19.c3 c5! 20.b3 cxb4 21.xb4 d6 and White resigned in view of 22.c4 c6 . ] 8...a5+ Taking the b4-square from the enemy king. [ On other moves, such as 8...h5 , White could respond with 9.h4 , preventing any breakthrough scenarios, followed by king moves along c4-b4. ] 9.c4 g6 10.a4! Preparing the creation of an outside passed pawn. [ 10.b4?! a4 is less convincing. ] 10...f5 11.b4 White wins by using the a-pawn as a bait; [ e.g. 11.b4 axb4 12.xb4 g5 13.a5+ a6 14.c5 xa5 15.xc6 etc. ]
Korchnoi,V Trent,L London [Johan Hellsten] a
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In exchange for the pawn minus, Black enjoys reasonable activity – that is, as long as he stays in the rook ending! 1...c5? A tempting, but fatal decision. [ Correct was 1...a5! 2.h4 a1 3.h5 a5 4.h6 a4 with excellent drawing chances – Baburin. ] 2.xc5 xc5 3.f3! A key move, in order to approach the a-pawn with the king. [ In contrast, after 3.h4? a5 , both sides queen. ] 3...a5 4.e2 c4 [ Or 4...a4 5.d2 with similar play. ] 5.d2 b3 6.h4 a4 [ After 6...b2 7.h5 , White swaps the queens in the end. ] 7.c1! a2 8.h5 a3 9.h6 a1 10.h7 a2 11.d2! [ In view of 11.d2 b1 12.h8 a1 13.h1+ , Black resigned. ] 1-0
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White can re-establish the material balance in two different ways. By now you can probably guess which one should be avoided. 1.xd2? Due to Black’s more active king, the ensuing pawn ending is lost. [ Instead, 1.xa7! was correct, staying in the minor piece ending; e.g. d5 2.e3 c3+ 3.xd2 b1+ 4.d3 xa3 5.d4 and White holds. ] 1...xd2 2.xd2 e5 3.e3 b5! Putting an end to the opponent’s waiting moves. [ In contrast, 3...g5? permits 4.a4! with a draw after b6 ( or 4...a6 5.a5 ) 5.b5 .] 4.f3 g5! [ Of course not 4...d4?? 5.f4 . ] 5.e3 a6! 6.f3 d4 . Black soon won. 0-1
Teske,H Fressinet,L German League [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) Llamuca,A Bejar,B Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) In the above position, it is easy to see that
Black has the initiative, though White should be able to defend after 1 Nf3, followed by Ke2. However, the battle took quite a different turn after the move chosen by him in the game. 1.e2? xd2! Of course; in the ensuing pawn ending Black will have every reason to believe in victory, thanks to his more active king and his queenside pawn majority –
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Baburin. 2.xd2 xd2+ 3.xd2 e6 4.c3 d5 Note, too, that the space already gained by Black’s queenside pawns will make any pawn race advantageous for him. 5.f3 Covering the e4-square. [ After 5.b4? e4 6.a4 bxa4 7.xc4 f3 8.b4 xf2 9.xa4 xe3 10.a5 g5 11.xa6 f4 , Black wins – Baburin. ] 5...a5 6.d2 [ The alternatives were no better; e.g. 6.a3 g5 7.h3 h5 8.d2 b4 9.axb4 axb4 10.c2 g4! 11.hxg4 fxg4 12.fxg4 hxg4 13.d2 e4 14.e2 c3 ] [ or 6.h4 b4+ 7.d2 g6 8.e2 h6 9.d2 g5 and Black wins in both cases – Baburin. In this line, there could follow 10.hxg5 hxg5 11.e2 g4 with a decisive ...Ke4 next. ] 6...g5 7.h3 h5 8.e2 b4 With the opponent confined to passive defence, Black takes the moment to gain some extra space. 9.h4 g4 10.e4+ e5! [ White resigned, in view of 10...e5 11.exf5 gxf3+! ( but not 11...xf5? 12.f4! with a draw due to the protected passed pawn ) 12.xf3 xf5 and the black king enters decisively at g4. ] 0-1
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White is evidently better here, but the reduced number of pawns aids the defender, given that he stays in the knight ending! 1...e5? A badly calculated transposition to a pawn ending. [ Correct was 1...d5! , improving the king; e.g. 2.xa5 d4 3.f4 c5 with excellent chances for a draw – Baburin. ] 2.xe5 xe5 3.xa5 f4 4.b4! Only this retreat leads to the goal, for reasons that will soon become clear. xf3 5.a5 f4 6.a6 e2 [ Or 6...g2 7.a7 f3 8.a8 and the f-pawn will never make it to the second rank. ] 7.a7 f3 8.a8 f2 9.g2 e1 10.c3! [ In view of 10.c3 f1 11.d2# , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Hellsten,J Adler,B Sollentuna [Johan Hellsten]
1995
(Diagramme) Welling,G Porrasmaa,T Tromso [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2009
In a rather unusual pawn structure, White has just played Rb4-b5+ to improve his rook. 1...c5? Black falls for a little trick. [ Correct was 1...e6 , staying in a rook ending; e.g. 2.d4 e7 3.e5 h6 4.d5 d7 5.b1 e7 in Philidor style. At this point, 6.g1 h2 7.g7+ d8 8.d6 is tempting, but after d2+ 9.e6 d4
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10.g8+ c7 11.f7 f4+ 12.e7 xc4 13.e6 b5 , Black should be able to save himself in the ensuing rook vs. pawn ending. White’s play can probably be improved somewhere; even so, 1...Ke6 remains Black’s best chance. ] 2.d3! White accepts the transposition to a pawn ending - under his own conditions. [ Probably Adler only expected 2.xc5+? bxc5 with a draw after 3.f3 d4 4.f4 xc4 5.e5 b3! 6.e6 c4 7.e7 c3 8.e8 c2 etc. ] 2...xb5 [ The game in fact went 2...d6 3.xb6+ d7 4.b5 c6 5.d4 h6 6.c5 and White realized his material advantage without much difficulty. ] 3.cxb5 e6 4.d4 d6 5.e5+ e6 6.e4 . White wins.
Teterev,V Shirov,A European Cup, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) After some careful calculation, Shirov settled for the “risky” pawn ending. 1...xb5! 2.xb5 xb5 3.g3 c5 4.g4 d4 5.h5 e5 6.xh6 f5! This detail had to be anticipated when taking on g5. [ In contrast, after 6...f6? 7.h3 f5 8.g7! , White wins – Golubev. ]
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7.h5 f4 8.h3 [ Or 8.g6 g4! . ] 8...f5 9.h6 f6 10.h7 f7 11.h6 f6 ½-½
Balog,I Vajda,L Balaton [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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Black is suffering due to his remote king, but he found a precise defence, based on the transposition to a pawn ending. 1...f4! 2.c1 e4! [ But not 2...b4? 3.c2 e4 4.c3! b1 5.h5 , when the black king remains cut off from the fifth rank, while White’s will soon
approach the pawn. ] [ 2...h2? is also bad: 3.b6 h8 4.b7 b8 5.b5 e4 6.c2 d4 7.b3 etc. ] Instead, after 2...Ke4, a draw was agreed. Let’s see a possible continuation: 3.xb2 [ Or 3.h5 g2 4.b6 d4 5.b5 g8 etc. ] 3...xd5 4.b3 c5 5.a4 b6 . Draw. ½-½
Schnabel,R Orlov,G Seattle [Johan Hellsten]
1993
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2009
(Diagramme)
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White has a trump in his outside passed pawn, but how to exploit this advantage? 1.c6+? Tempting, but wrong. [ A better try was 1.h4! , gaining some space. Then if e6? ( Black should stay in an inferior rook ending with 1...d7 ) 2.c6+ xc6 3.bxc6 d6 ( or 3...g5 4.hxg5 hxg5 5.c5 f4 6.gxf4 gxf4 7.b6 ) 4.c7 xc7 5.e5 , White wins. ] 1...xc6 2.bxc6 g5! [ Instead of 2...xc6? 3.e5 , Black hurries to swap pawns on the kingside. ] 3.c7 xc7 4.e5 f4! 5.gxf4 gxf4 6.xf4 d6 7.f5 e7 8.g6 f8 . A draw was soon agreed. ½-½
In this difficult position, White managed to save himself in study-like fashion. 1.g4! [ The natural 1.f2? loses to g4! 2.xg4 fxg4 3.e2 e5 4.e3 d5 etc. ] 1...xg4 2.xg4 fxg4 3.f4! [ But not 3.xe4? g5 4.e3 h4 5.f2 h3 etc. ] 3...g3 4.xg3 [ Draw agreed, in view of 4.xg3 e5 5.f2 d4 6.e2 . ] ½-½
Paez,G Adasme,M Arica [Johan Hellsten]
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Carlsen,Ma Karjakin,S World Rapid Championship, Astana [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) Despite the reduced material White has a definite initiative here, and 1...Kg6? won’t do in view of 2 f5+. How to defend? 1...f6! Sacrificing the h7-pawn in order to reach a rook ending. [ Instead, the game went 1...c4+? 2.f5 c5+ 3.e5 f8 4.xh7+ g8 5.h8+ f7 6.xf8+! and Black resigned. ] 2.xf6 [ After 2.xh7 g6 , Black recovers the pawn at once. ]
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2...xf6 3.xh7 c4+ [ A reversed move order with 3...g6 4.h8 c4+ is also fine, since 5.e5 c5+ 6.e6 c6+ leads nowhere for White. ] 4.f3 g6 5.h8 c1! . Preparing a rear attack. White can’t progress.
Erdogan,H Markowski,T European Championship, Istanbul [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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Radulski,J Petkov,V Bulgarian Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
2003
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[ Instead, the game went 1.c4? e7 2.g4 b7! 3.f3? and White resigned without waiting for f5 . ] 1...gxf5 2.d2 Activating the rook. [ In contrast, 2.c4? would run into b7 and 3...Rb4+. ] 2...e7 [ Or 2...xd5 3.e3! f6 4.e8 with considerable activity. ] 3.g3! With counterplay – Huzman. [ For example, 3.g3 e4 ( in effect, after 3...xd5 4.g7 e4 5.xh7 xf4 6.h4 , the h-pawn is annoying for Black ) 4.g7 xf4 5.xh7 d4+ ( after 5...xd5 6.xf7 , White’s task is easier ) 6.e3!? b4 ( or 6...e7 7.h6 xd5 8.a6 , working on the opposite flank ) 7.xf7 xb3+ 8.d2 xh3 9.xf5 leads to the theoretically drawn endgame with rook, f- and h-pawns vs. rook. ]
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White is in some trouble due to the weak dpawn and the passive rook on c3. Besides, the knight seems a bit more useful than the bishop in this structure. 1.xf5! Heading for a rook ending, never mind the d5-pawn.
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Again White is in evident danger, but a timely transposition to a rook ending could have saved him. 1.e5! Removing the main enemy – Black’s bishop. [ In contrast, the game went 1.e6?! c3 2.f5 b4 3.e4 b3 4.d3 f6 5.c4?! ( it wasn’t yet too late for 5.e7! – Baburin ) 5...c2+ 6.d3 c3+ 7.e4 c4+ 8.f5 b2 , when Black’s practical chances had
increased considerably, and he later squeezed a win out of a drawn rook and pawn vs. bishop and pawn ending. ] [ Note, too, that a defence in rook ending style won’t work: 1.b8 c3 2.e4 b4 3.f3 b3 4.a3 b1 5.g2 b2 with ...Rd1-d2+ next. Evidently, with bishops on the board it is easier for Black to assist the passed pawn. ] 1...xe5 [ Or 1...f2+ 2.e6 e2? 3.xb5 – Baburin. ] 2.xe5 b4 [ If 2...g8 , trying to activate the king, then 3.f5! with the strong threat of 4 Kg6. ] 3.b8! Restricting the enemy king. b3 4.e4! Heading for the “safety zone” on g2-h2. b1 5.f3 g5 [ Obviously, 5...g6 failed to 6.b7+ g8 7.hxg6 ] [ while after 5...b2 6.g2 g5 7.hxg6+ xg6 8.h2 , White draws even without the g4pawn. ] 6.hxg6+! Reducing the number of pawns. xg6 7.b6+ Immediately tying Black’s king to the h6-pawn. g5 8.b5+ f6 9.b6+ e5 10.g2! Preparing to take on h6 and then look for salvation in a rook vs. pawn ending, a scenario familiar to us from Example 214 (Grischuk-Anand), among others. d4 11.xh6 c1 12.b6 c3 [ After 12...c3 13.g5 , despite White’s cutoff king, Black can’t progress properly. ] 13.f3 b2 14.g5 b1 15.xb1 xb1 16.e4! A draw is inevitable [ e.g. 16.e4 c4 17.g6 g1 18.f5 d5 19.f6 f1+ 20.e7! etc. ]
Matulovic,M Donner,JH Palma de Mallorca [Johan Hellsten]
1967
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[ Instead, 1...e5! 2.b7 d6 was called for – Ivkov; e.g. 3.e8 ( both 3.g2; and 3.h1 fail to b1+ ) 3...xb7 4.c1 ( by the way, 4.xh5? loses outright to b1+ 5.g2 a1! , when zugzwang rules out the idea of a sacrifice on g4, and 6.b4 c5 7.b8 f3 leads to a quick mate ) 4...h7 with excellent winning chances in the presence of the minor pieces. ] 2.xd4 xc6 3.a4! Preparing a rear attack. e5 4.a7+ f6 5.h7 g6 6.e7 f4?! Black loses his patience. [ 6...c5 was better, preparing the same advance, although after 7.g2 f4 8.gxf4 exf4 9.e6+ f5 10.e8 c2 11.f8+ e4 12.e8+ d3 13.f8 , White holds. ] 7.xe5 f3 8.g1! c1+ [ Draw agreed, in view of 8...c1+ 9.h2 f1 10.g5+ h6 11.g6+! etc – Ivkov. ] ½-½
Frank,E Ernst,M Austrian Championship, Zwettl [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) (Diagramme) Black is about to win a pawn, but first he should have reflected about which type of ending suits him best. 1...xb6? Now White manages to reach a rook ending, in which an extra pawn on one single flank often doesn’t suffice for victory; besides, here the defender has already achieved the ideal f2-g3-h4 structure.
White is under pressure, and must now make a choice regarding his knight. 1.e2+? In the ensuing rook ending, the defender’s king won’t be able to return to its correct post in front of the pawn. [ Thus 1.h5+ was called for; e.g. g5 2.c5+ h4 3.f2 and White defends –
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Baburin, who also mentions that the best Black can hope for here is a rook and bishop vs. rook ending. That is a theoretical draw (albeit not without difficulty in practice) except in some specific positions, one of which we saw in the 16...gxf5+ subline of Example 380 (Carlsen-Caruana). ] 1...xe2+ 2.xe2 g3! The rest is easy. 3.f1 a1+ 4.e2 g2 5.c2 f1 6.e3+ g1 7.c8 g3 8.e2 [ After 8.e2 , Black played f7 ( however, much simpler was 8...g2 9.h8 f7 10.e1 e7+ 11.d2 e5 , followed by a bridge ) 9.c1+ g2 10.a1 e7+ and went on to win. ] 0-1
Valerga,D Real de Azua,E Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten]
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should prepare himself for a future rook vs. pawn(s) ending – Valerga. g2 8.g4+ [ 8.c3 was more practical – De Dovitiis. ] 8...f6 9.b5 h5 10.f4+ e7 11.f3 b2 [ Or 11...d8 12.c6 c8 13.xf7 c2+ 14.b6 c3 15.g7 with 16 Rg8+ next, in similar fashion to the previous example. ] 12.c6 c2+ 13.b7 e6 [ 13...c4! was more tenacious, preparing h5-h4, when White would have to find 14.b6 h4 15.gxh4 xh4 16.f5! , cutting off the king from the fifth rank in advance; e.g. e6 17.a5 f5 18.a7 etc. ] 14.b6 f5 15.a3! Creating a shelter for the king on a7. b2 16.a7 f4 17.gxf4 f5 18.a5+ [ After 18.a5+ g4 19.g5+ , Black’s counterplay is over, so he resigned. ] 1-0
2006
(Diagramme) With a superior pawn structure and more active king, there is not doubt as to White’s advantage, but how to progress? 1.xc4! A good exchange in order to help the king approach the battlefield. dxc4 2.e3 d3+ [ Or 2...g4 3.f2! with the threat of Rf4 – De Dovitiis. ] 3.e4 g7 4.xc4 d2 5.b4! Of course – betting on the passed pawn. axb4 6.axb4 xh2 7.d5 Already at this point, White
Timman,J Salov,V Saint John (match) (4) [Johan Hellsten]
1988
(Diagramme) Black is under pressure, but Salov came up with a simple solution. 1...c5! Sacrificing a pawn in order to reach an ending with opposite-coloured bishops. [ Other moves, such as 1...g6 , might run into 2.c5!? xc5 3.xc5 b7 4.a6! with a clear advantage for White, who could prepare an invasion with the rooks
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[ 1.c1 e4+ 2.b2 d7 should also give Black good chances for a draw, but after the text he manages to determine the result almost immediately. ] 1...xd4! A timely transposition to an ending with opposite-coloured bishops. 2.xd4 a6! In the following Black arranges his pawns on squares of the same colour as his bishop, which tends to be a good defensive idea in this type of ending. 3.c2 h5 4.c4 b5 5.c3 d7 6.e5 e2 . A draw was soon agreed. ½-½
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down the b-file. ] 2.xc5 xc5 3.xc5 xc5 4.xc5 xc5 5.xc5 a6 Now it is difficult to see how White can capitalize on his extra pawn. 6.b6 d7 7.d4 g6 8.h4 e6 9.g5 d7 10.h6 [ If 10.g4 , then simply e6 . ] 10...e6 11.c5 d7 . The game later ended in a draw. ½-½
Lozano,G Sanaguano,J Azogues [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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In this ending with a pawn less, Black has just played ...Bg2-f3, setting a little positional trap. 1.d4?!
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Uquillas,G Matute,B Cuenca [Johan Hellsten]
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In this rook ending, Black is about to lose her extra pawn. Having observed White’s defective pawn majority on the queenside, she finds a clever way to return the pawn. 1...e2+! [ 1...-- ] 2.xe2 fxe2 3.xe2 f6 Despite material equality, White is completely lost. 4.d3 e5 5.b4 g5 6.b3 h5 7.a3 d5 8.a4 e5 As discussed in Chapter Six, waiting moves with the king never end. 9.axb5 axb5 10.h4 g4 11.d2 e4 . Black soon won. 0-1
Sokolovs,A Baikov,V Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1992
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1...d7? A fatal decision, as the presence of rooks was vital counterweight to the inferior pawn structure. [ Black had to rely on either 1...b5 ] [ or 1...c3 , getting on with the queenside counterplay. ] 2.xd7 xd7 3.c3! A key move to immobilize the enemy pawn majority. bxa3 4.bxa3 d6 5.f1! [ Of course not 5.g5? hxg5+ 6.hxg5 fxg5+ 7.xg5 e5 etc. ] 5...c6 [ Or 5...e8 6.d2 f7 7.f3 , followed by e4-e5. ] 6.e5 fxe5+ 7.xe5 a5 8.e3 b5 9.d6! [ In view of 9.d6 a4 10.e7 g8 11.f8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Grischuk,A Bauer,C World Rapid Cup, Cannes [Johan Hellsten]
2001
(Diagramme) White has just played Rc2-f2, offering the exchange of rooks. 1...xf2? The ensuing bishop ending is bad for Black due to White’s outside passed pawn
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– Lukacs; [ who instead recommends 1...h8! , keeping the “drawish” rooks on the board. Admittedly White could try to construct a scenario similar to the game by 2.hxg5 g8 3.g6 e8 4.f6 e7 5.f4 xg6 6.g4 , but after f7 ( in contrast, 6...f7? would lead the battle right into White’s preferred endgame type – a pawn ending – after 7.xg6+ xg6 8.xg6 xg6 9.f2 , when the outside passed pawn means an almost automatic win ) 7.xg8 xg8 , followed by ...Kf6 and ...e6-e5, Black’s counterplay should be sufficient to hold the balance. ] [ By the way, 1...g8?! is less precise due to 2.h5 . ] 2.xf2 gxh4 3.gxh4 e5?! [ 3...e8 was preferable, trying to prevent h4h5, when after 4.e3 e5 5.e2 White keeps a clear, but not decisive advantage – Lukacs. ] 4.dxe5+ xe5 5.h5! f6 6.h6 Now that it has managed to get that far, the h-pawn will keep the enemy king occupied for the rest of the game. Meanwhile, White can use his king on the opposite flank. a6 [ After 6...d4 7.f3 , the d4-pawn just becomes exposed. ] 7.bxa6 [ An alternative was 7.b6 , keeping more pawns on the board, but the text also works fine. ] 7...bxa6 8.e3 a5 9.d4 a4 10.a3! Of course – fixing the a-pawns on squares of the “right” colour. c6 11.c5 d7 [ After 11...b7 12.b5 , the end is
accelerated. ] 12.xd5 e8 13.c5 f7 14.b4 b3 15.c3 d5 16.c2 c6 17.b4 d7 18.xa4 From now on, White only needs to avoid a bishop sacrifice for the a-pawn. f5 19.b5 [ The game actually went 19.c3 , but later the position after 18...Bf5 was reached again. ] 19...c2 20.c3 d1 21.e8! Zugzwang. e2 22.a4 a6 23.a5 b7 24.d4 c8 25.c5 a6 26.b6 c8 27.c6 g6 28.b7 1-0
Gleizerov,E Grandelius,N Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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12.e5 a4! 13.d2 [ Or 13.xf7 b3 14.axb3 a3 etc. ] 13...a3 14.d3+ b5 The rest is easy. 15.c2 xa2 16.g5 f7 17.f4 b3+ 18.c3 b2 19.c2 a2 0-1
Vogt,L Andersson,U Cienfuegos [Johan Hellsten] a
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1975
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Two factors speak in Black’s favour here: the superiority of the bishop in open positions, and the queenside pawn majority. Thus his next move comes with no surprise for us. 1...h5! 2.b4 Being short of better options, White fixes the queenside pawns on the “right” colour, but only with temporary effect. xg3 3.xg3 f6! A timely activation of the king. 4.f3 xg3+ 5.xg3 e6 6.f4 d5 7.g4 c5! Of course – in the ensuing battle with mutual passed pawns, the bishop will feel very comfortable. 8.bxc5 xc5 9.h4 b4 10.h5 f7 11.e3 a5 [ The simple 11...xa2 was also possible, but Black probably wanted to avoid any breakthrough ideas on the kingside. ]
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Black is clearly better here thanks to White’s multiple weaknesses. Andersson made an accurate choice. 1...b4! The knight was great on d5, but exchanging it for White’s bishop will make it easier for Black to attack the f4-pawn. [ Less efficient was 1...e7 2.c2 d6 3.c4 . ] 2.xb4 xb4 3.f2 e7! From now on, the team of rook and bishop takes over the board. 4.f3 d6 5.e2 e4! 6.d3 c5 7.c3 [ Or 7.d2 g7 with similar play. ] 7...f2 8.c2 g7 Before taking concrete action, it makes sense to improve the king. Meanwhile, White remains completely tied up. 9.g1 Desperation; [ but after 9.b2 a5 10.c2 f6 11.b2 b4 , Black wins with little effort. ] 9...xf4 [ Andersson probably didn’t even consider the rook ending after arising 9...xg1?! 10.xg1 xf4 11.c6 . ] 10.f3 g3 11.g1 e4 12.f1 e3 13.b2 e5 14.b1 e4 . In this hopeless
position, White resigned. 0-1
Hellsten,J Sammalvuo,T Hallsberg [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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In view of Black’s slightly compromised pawn structure and passive bishop on e7, White is minimally better. 1.fa1 Intending Ra8 in order to exchange all the rooks, which would leave White with the team of queen and knight; besides, the c4pawn would become less vulnerable. g8 [ Obviously, 1...bb8 would just invite to 2.a7 ] [ but 1...g6!? 2.a8 xa8 3.xa8+ g7 was quite logical, keeping one rook for the sake of counterplay. ] 2.a8 bc7 3.1a5 xa8 [ 3...c6 was more accurate, although after 4.xc8+ xc8 5.a7 , Black would probably have to accept the second exchange of rooks by c7 anyway. ] 4.xa8+ c8 5.e4! This intermediate move would not have worked if Black had chosen 3... Qc6 instead. c6 6.xc8+ xc8 7.d5!? [ Theoretically speaking, the materialistic 7.xd6 xd6 8.xd6 xc4 9.xe5 would have been stronger. On the other hand, I think that the text makes Black’s defensive task more unpleasant in practice. ] 7...c7 [ From a structural perspective 7...h5 deserved attention, but Black gives higher
priority to maintaining the material balance. ] 8.g4! Gaining space and fixing pawns on squares of the “right” colour. f8?! [ Here and later, 8...g6 and ...Kg7 was more productive. ] 9.g2 e7 10.f3 f8 11.h4! White starts working on a new front. e7 12.g3 h7 [ 12...e6 was a lesser evil, when White has several interesting options such as 13.h5 ( 13.g5; and 13.c3 . Nevertheless, the minor piece endings that emerge after those moves would be less depressing than the one that Black finally obtains in the actual game. )] 13.a8 g6 [ After 13...g8 14.c3! , heading for d5, White keeps the pressure. ] 14.g5! Fixing a weakness on f6. g7 15.f6 h5 [ Of course not 15...hxg5? 16.hxg5 with the dreadful threat of -- 17.h1 . ] 16.c8 e6 This leads to a difficult minor piece ending; [ but after 16...a7 17.e8 , intending 18 Nd7, Black is in trouble anyway. ] 17.xe6 fxe6 18.f3 f7 19.c5! This breakthrough either ruins Black’s pawn structure or creates a strong passed pawn. d5?! [ White should prevail after 19...dxc5 20.d7 d6 21.b6 , followed by Ke4 and Nc4xe5, but now he wins practically on the spot. ] 20.d7 e4+ [ Or 20...g7 21.e4! e7 22.c6 d6 23.c5! xc6 24.xe6 h8 25.f8 etc. ] 21.f4 e7 22.e5 d8 23.d6 e7+ 24.c6 . In view of the forthcoming Kb7 and c6-c7, Black resigned. 1-0
Uhlmann,W Olafsson,F Reykjavik [Johan Hellsten]
1968
(Diagramme) Of White’s two bishops, the one on d2 is more valuable, so Olafsson prepares its elimination. 1...d3! A great square for the knight, where it denies the enemy rook the e1-square,
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among other things. [ Of course 1...e3? at once failed to 2.e1 .] 2.f1 [ On 2.d1 , Black can reply in the same way. ] 2...e3! Because of the attack on the f4-pawn, White can’t avoid the exchange of his “good” bishop. 3.xe3 xe3 4.d1 f6! A small but powerful move, which prepares ...g6-g5 in order to create strongholds on e5 and f4. 5.a3 g7 6.b4? [ 6.f3! was preferable in order to swap the active enemy rook. Then Black should consider xf3 ( instead, 6...e1+ 7.f2 doesn’t really lead anywhere ) 7.xf3 g5! with a superior minor piece ending thanks to White’s multiple weaknesses. ] 6...g5! 7.fxg5 fxg5 8.f3? A tactical oversight in a difficult position. e1+! 9.f2 xf3+ 10.xe1 xf1+ 11.xf1 f6 . Seeing that the d5-pawn soon falls, White resigned. 0-1
Ehlvest,J Rausis,I Riga [Johan Hellsten]
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In this pawn ending, several factors speak in White’s favour: a more active king, a sounder pawn structure, and a greater reserve of waiting moves. b6 4.a4 e6 5.f3 d6 6.a5! [ The game actually saw some manoeuvring at this point: 6.c3 e5 7.d3 e6 8.c3 e5 9.d3 e6 10.d4 d6 and only now 11.a5! . ] 6...bxa5 [ On 6...b5 , White takes the opposition by 7.f4 with an easy win. ] 7.bxa5 c6 8.e5 b5 [ Or 8...c5 9.f6 b5 10.xg6 xa5 11.xh5 b5 12.g6 a5 13.h5 etc – Chekhov. ] 9.xd5 xa5 10.c5! Obstruction. [ In view of 10.c5 a4 11.e4 fxe4 12.fxe4 a5 13.e5 b3 14.e6 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Kuzubov,Y Haas,C Zurich [Johan Hellsten]
2009
1995 (Diagramme)
(Diagramme) Black’s position appears to be solid, but White found a simple path to victory. 1.xd5! exd5 2.xd6! xd6 3.d4
White is better with his bishop pair, but having observed a very favourable bishop ending on the horizon, Kuzubov gives one of them away. 1.xe6! xe6 2.e4 Black is forced to put another pawn on a dark square. g5 3.hxg5 [ 3.h5?! is less convincing due to b5!
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and Black secures a healthy queenside structure. ] 3...hxg5 4.a4! Preparing b4-b5 in order to fix more pawns. By now the virtues of White’s initial decision become evident: in this bishop ending, the fact that all the enemy pawns finish up on squares of the “wrong” colour will make Black’s task very difficult. [ By the way, the immediate 4.b5 was also okay. ] 4...c3 [ Or 4...a6 5.b5! with Ba3 next. ] 5.b5 f6 6.d2 Kuzubov starts looking for a zugzwang. d8 7.c3 c7 8.d4 b8 9.f3 c7 10.c3 b8 [ If 10...d8 , then 11.e5 . ] 11.a5! This advance creates another target on b6. c7 [ After 11...bxa5 12.xa5 , the threat of 13 Bd8 decides. ] 12.axb6 [ But not 12.a6?! b8 13.d4 c7 . ] 12...axb6 13.d4 d8 14.e5! Zugzwang. e7 15.c7 [ In view of 15.c7 c5 16.d8 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Hellsten,J Michel Yunis,C Santiago [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2005
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In this Stonewall structure, Black’s structural deficits are well compensated by the active knight on e4. This was a good moment for some prophylactic measures like 1...h6, followed by ...Kh7, or perhaps ...Bc8, but my opponent came up with quite a different idea. 1...xc3? 2.xc3 a6 Having diverted the enemy queen from the a-file, Black manages to activate his “bad” bishop. However, even without bishops on the board, White keeps a stable plus in view of the weak points on e6, e5 and c6. 3.e3! A timely intermediate move that forces the enemy knight to a passive square. Now the absence of the active e4-knight from the board is strongly felt. f8 4.xa6 xa6 5.h4! Making a shelter for the king on h2 while creating new opportunities on the kingside. a1+ Transferring the queen to a more active destiny on b2. 6.h2 b2 7.e1 h6 8.g3 h7 9.g2 c2 10.e5 After the reinforcement of the kingside, White starts looking for a larger advantage. g8 11.h5 Preparing Ne5-g6 with an indirect attack on e6. h7 [ After 11...h7 12.g6 e4+ ( not 12...f7? 13.a1! ) 13.xe4 dxe4 14.e7+ f8 15.xc6 e8 16.b8! f6 17.b5 xh5 18.b6 d8 19.a6 c8 20.c5 , White should be winning once the king joins the battle. ] 12.e3! A clever waiting move, based on the observation that Black has no solid reply at his disposal. h8 Probably the least of evils, so that the e6-pawn won’t fall with check. [ Bad was 12...a4? 13.c3 ] [ or 12...g8? 13.g6! c4 14.a3! b5 ( the point was 14...xd4 15.b5 ) 15.a8
xb4 16.e8! with the threat of 17 Ne7+. ] 13.f7+ Regrouping the knight to d8. [ With the black king on h8, 13.g6+ proves less effective due to xg6 14.hxg6 e4+ 15.xe4 fxe4! ( not 15...dxe4? 16.g4! as we already saw in Chapter Two ) 16.g4 g8 with a balanced pawn ending. ] 13...g8 [ After 13...h7 14.d8 c4 15.xe6 xe6 ( or 15...xb4 16.d8! d6 17.e8 etc ) 16.xe6 xb4 17.xf5+ h8 18.e5 , preparing f5-f6, White should win. ] 14.d8 c4 15.e1?! [ Stronger was 15.xe6 xb4 16.d8! d6 17.e8 d7 ( or 17...c5 18.c6! , heading for e7 ) 18.xd7 xd7 19.xc6 , followed by f2-f3, Kh3 and g3-g4, when White’s extra pawn should decide the outcome. ] 15...h8? In time-trouble Black returns the favour. [ 15...xd4 was preferable, when 16.xc6 b6 17.c3 yields White a clear advantage thanks to the outside passed pawn, but not a decisive one. ] 16.xe6 d7? [ After 16...xe6 17.xe6 xb4 18.c8+ h7 19.xf5+ h8 20.e5 , White should also prevail, as we established in the 13... Kh7 subline above; whereas now the battle finishes on the spot. ] 17.xg7! xg7 18.e7+ g8 19.e6+ f8 20.xd7 xd4 21.xf5+ [ If 21.xf5+ g8 , then 22.g6+ wins another pawn, while other king moves run into 22 Qe5+ transposing to an easily won pawn ending, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
Llamuca,H Morales,M Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) White has some initiative and should now think about how to include the rook in the battle. 1.xc6? [ Seeing that 1.e1?! runs into e8 , White prepares it. However, he also parts with a bishop that was rather powerful in
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such an open position. ] [ 1.f1 was preferable, with ideas like Ne6(g6) and Rf7, working on the light squares. ] 1...xc6 2.e1 c7 3.e8+ h7 4.e6 c6 5.xd4? Another bad exchange, as the knight was quite useful on e6; besides, Black’s rook now becomes very active. [ Instead, the simple 5.f3 suggested itself; e.g. g6 6.f4+ f7 7.a8 c7 8.d5 d7 9.e4 and White keeps the initiative. ] 5...cxd4 6.e7+ g6 7.xa7 xc2+ 8.h3? For the sake of just a single pawn, White displaces his king. [ Much better was 8.f3! xh2 9.b7 b2 10.e4 with a picture familiar from earlier examples in this chapter – despite being a pawn down, the defender has good drawing chances in the rook ending. ] 8...d3 9.d7 d2 10.a4? This second strike of materialism costs White the game. [ Correct was 10.g4 xa2 11.d6+! f7 12.f3 , followed by Ke2, keeping some chances for a draw. ] 10...f5! The king hurries to assist the passed pawn. 11.g4+ [ Unfortunately for White, 11.g2? in the same spirit now fails to d1+ . ] 11...f4 12.d8 e4 13.g3 c3+! Creating a bridge. 14.f2 d3 15.e8+ d4 16.d8+ c4 17.c8+ b4 0-1
Andreassen,L Carlsen,Ma Tromso [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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Black has a slight initiative, but there are no obvious weaknesses in White’s camp just yet. 1.xg6+? A bad choice, as the queen had an active future on c6 or c7. [ In effect, 1.c6! practically forced a draw since d3+ 2.g2 e4 3.xe6 c2 is met by 4.f5+ g6 5.g5+! fxg5 6.f7+ with perpetual. ] [ Equally possible was 1.c7 ; e.g. d3+ 2.g2 e4 3.f7 h6 4.e8 with a perpetual again coming up. ] 1...xg6 2.d2 [ Perhaps 2.g1!? f5 3.e2 g5 4.f3 was more tenacious – Akesson. ] 2...f5 Evidently, such a king manoeuvre would have been a bit more difficult to realize in the presence of queens. 3.f3 g5! Preparing ...g5-g4 to soften up the e4-square. 4.e2? Very passive. [ It made sense to clear some space for the defence by 4.hxg5 fxg5 5.e2 ; e.g. g4 ( or 5...h4 6.f2 ) 6.b4!? , when gxf3+ 7.xf3 e4?! leads nowhere after 8.xe4 dxe4+ 9.g2 g4 10.b5 etc. ] 4...g4 5.f4 An ugly move; [ but after 5.b4 gxf3+ 6.xf3 e4 , White would be in trouble anyway; e.g. 7.xe4? dxe4+ 8.g2 g4 9.b5 and, in contrast to the previous note, here Black has a decisive spare tempo in f5 . ] 5...e4! 6.f1 [ In view of 6.xe4 xe4 7.b4 a6
etc, White is forced to displace his knight for the rest of the game. ] 6...a6 7.d3 Black has achieved a great deal in just seven moves, but how to progress further? a5! With the strong plan of a king march to c6, followed by ...b6-b5 to open up a new front. Meanwhile, White can only wait. 8.e2 g6 9.d3 f7 10.c2 e7 11.d3 d6 12.c2 c6 13.d3 b5 14.c2 [ If 14.axb5+ xb5 15.c2 , then b4 16.b2 f5 with a decisive zugzwang – Akesson. ] 14...bxa4 15.bxa4 d6! The king returns, now that a new weakness has been established on a4. 16.d3 [ Or 16.b2 e5 17.b3 e6 18.c2 d6! 19.d3 c4 – Akesson, when 20.c2 exd4 21.exd4 f5 is similar to the game. ] 16...e5 Apart from clearing the e6-f5 route for the king, this advance will help Black soften up the d4-pawn later on. 17.c2 e6 18.d3 f5 Zugzwang. 19.c2 [ After 19.e2 c3+ ] [ or 19.dxe5 fxe5 20.fxe5 xe5 21.c2 c5 , Black also wins. ] 19...exf4 20.exf4 f2! Clearing the way for his majesty. 21.d2 e4 22.e2 h1 23.d2+ xd4 24.b3+ c3 0-1
Ruiz,F Cardenas,A Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) Such a middlegame position is quite pleasant for the side with rook and pawn, thanks to the existence of open files. Moreover, in view of the open centre Black would have preferred a bishop and knight team instead of a pair of knights, not to mention a bishop pair. Even so he could have held the balance with accurate play. 1...b7? This lets White transpose to a very favourable ending. [ The prophylactic 1...5f6! was called for; e. g. 2.dxc5 bxc5 3.b4 b6 4.bxc5 xc5 with roughly equal chances. ] 2.dxc5 xc5?!
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[ The last chance was 2...bxc5 3.f3 7b6 4.xc5 c8! , when Black has lost a pawn but at least manages to keep the queens on the board. ] 3.f3! b4 [ Obviously, 3...d8? failed to 4.e4 . ] 4.xb7 xb7 5.a3 a6 6.b4! A useful piece of restriction, in similar fashion to Example 397 (Botvinnik-Smyslov) in Chapter Six. g7 7.d7! b8 8.cd1 f6 9.f4! Opening a new front, whereas Black is confined to passive defence. e6 10.g4 f5 11.gxf5+ xf5 12.xh7 e4 13.dd7 [ In view of 13.dd7 d8 14.xa7 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Bejar,B Ruiz,F Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) Despite the material balance, White is clearly better thanks to his powerful passed pawn. 1.d4? A bad exchange, since the best assistant of the passed pawn leaves the board; besides, it will now be easier for Black’s king to approach it. [ 1.b3! was much better, heading for b8 in order to fight against the enemy blockade; e. g. g7 2.b8 e7 ( the desirable 2...b6? fails to 3.xb6! axb6 4.d7 etc ) 3.d8 with a strong initiative. ]
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[ Incidentally, 1.d7? would have been good, were it not for c1+ 2.f1 xc6 . ] 1...xd4! 2.xd4 f8 3.d7? With the black king so close, this exchange makes no sense. [ 3.f4 gxf4 4.gxf4 was preferable, in order to activate the king. ] 3...xd7 4.cxd7 e7 5.c6 e5 Preparing ... Bf5xd7. In just a few moves the picture has changed completely, and now White must fight for a draw. 6.g2 f5 7.f3 xd7? A natural choice, but badly timed. [ Correct was 7...g4+! 8.e3 xd7 , avoiding White’s additional resource on move 9, with good winning chances in the bishop ending. ] 8.xd7! In principle this is a bad exchange since it produces a pawn ending with a pawn less, but in concrete terms it actually saves a draw. xd7 9.e4? [ White stumbles when the draw was not far away: after the brave 9.g4! e6 10.h5 f5 11.xh6 f6 12.h5! , Black seems unable to progress; e.g. g4 ( or 12...e4? 13.h3! f4 14.gxf4 gxf4 15.g4 e5 16.h4 etc ) 13.h4 g6 14.h3 etc. ] 9...e6 10.g4 f6 The rest is easy. 11.f3 a6 12.a3 a5 13.a4 f5+! 14.gxf5+ f6 15.d3 xf5 16.c4 f4 17.b5 xf3 18.xa5 e4 0-1
Skripchenko,A Vasilevich,I Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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2.xe4 [ Or 2.c3 xg4 3.b6 g8 etc. ] 2...g3+ 3.e3 xg4 4.c3 c5 5.e5+ b6 6.b3 ½-½
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If Black stays passive, then White could improve her position by Kg1, Rf2, Kg2, Re2, Kf2, Re3 and so on. Even then Black would have excellent drawing chances, but Vasilevich found a much simpler solution. 1...f6! Swapping pawns. [ 1...-- ] 2.exf6+ xf6 3.g1 g5! In the same spirit. 4.f2 e1+ 5.g2 h4! This isn’t the only way to the draw, but it’s the simplest one. 6.gxh4 gxf4! 7.xf4+ g6 Obviously, the doubled rook’s pawns are useless here. 8.a4 e3 9.a5 h6 10.g5 a3 11.g3 a4 12.h3 ½-½
Spirin,O Mista,A German League [Johan Hellsten]
b
2009
Lautier,J Gurevich,M French Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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2000
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(Diagramme) At first sight Black’s task doesn’t seem that easy, but Mista finds a way to force a relieving pawn exchange. 1...e4+! [ Not 1...c5? 2.b6! ] [ or 1...g3+? 2.c2 g2+ 3.b3 g3+ 4.a4 . ]
A pawn down in a position with play on both flanks is usually a matter of concern. How can Black change this scenario? 1...a5! Preparing ...Rb3 and ...a5-a4-a3 in order to swap pawns and reduce the battle to one single flank. Due to his passively placed king, White can’t prevent this plan. 2.g4 a4
3.g3 b3 4.h4 h6 5.h5 a3! 6.bxa3 xa3 7.d6+ f7 8.f4 We saw a similar ending in Example 156 (Volkov-Rublevsky) in Chapter Three, where Black successfully applied a rear attack with his rook. In this game Gurevich will show an alternative defensive plan. b3 9.e4 b4+ 10.e5 b5+ 11.d5 b7! A typical method. Black keeps the the vital seventh rank controlled by his rook, so that the king can stay on f7. Only when White’s king moves away from his fellow pawns will the rook switch angle. 12.f4 e7+ 13.f5 a7 14.b5 [ Here or later, the advance 14.g5 can be met by hxg5 15.fxg5 g6+! 16.hxg6+ g7 , just like later on in the game. ] 14...e7 15.c5 a7 16.d5 b7 17.e4 e6 18.e5+ f7 19.g5 There is nothing better. b4+ 20.f5 hxg5 21.fxg5 g6+! A nice defensive trick, one that is familiar to us from Example 164 (Erenburg-Ju). 22.hxg6+ g7 23.e7+ g8 24.g7 b6 25.a7 c6 26.g4 b6 27.h5 c6 28.g6 c7! 29.xc7 . Stalemate. ½-½
Korchnoi,V Miles,A Baden-Baden [Johan Hellsten] a
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1981
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White is in evident danger – Black’s extra pawn on e6 is ready to move forward, supported by his active king. 1.g4! Freeing the king and reducing the number of pawns on the board. b3+
[ Less is achieved by 1...f4 2.f1+ . ] 2.h4 hxg4 3.xg4 e5 4.h4! White starts fighting for a passed pawn of his own. b2 5.e1+ d5 6.g5 b6 [ Or 6...g2+ 7.f6 e4 8.d1+ c4 9.e5! e3 10.e4 e2 11.c1+ with a draw – Miles. After the text White no longer has the f6-square for the king, but Korchnoi finds another solution. ] 7.h5! A great move, in order to swap the hpawn for... the e-pawn! gxh5 8.f5! b5 9.xe5+ c4 10.xb5 xb5 11.g5 a5 12.xh5 ½-½
Sutovsky,E Rozentalis,E Ashdod [Johan Hellsten] a
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2004
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Thanks to his active rook Black is quite safe here, despite being a pawn down. However, it is not easy to find a solid move for him. 1...g6! Looking for pawn exchanges on the kingside. [ If 1...a4?! 2.d5 ] [ or 1...e8 2.f6! gxf6 3.exf6 c6 4.e4 xf6 5.d5 and White keeps the pressure. Rozentalis comes up with a better solution. ] [ Interestingly, going for pawn exchanges on the opposite flank with 1...b4?! is less advisable here, since Black would lose his target on c3 and let White’s rook activate itself after 2.cxb4 xb4 3.a3 . In such a rook ending with a four vs. three pawns on one flank, the current
black kingside structure is far from the ideal f7-g6-h5 chain that we saw in Example 458 (Skripchenko-Vasilevich), among others. ] 2.fxg6 [ Or 2.f3 h5! , insisting on the idea; e.g. 3.g3 hxg4 4.hxg4 gxf5 5.gxf5 e4 6.d5 b4 and Black should make a draw – Sutovsky. ] 2...fxg6 3.d2 b4! Now that White’s pawn structure has deteriorated, the moment is right for a battle on one single flank. 4.cxb4 xb4 5.d6 h5! In the same spirit as before, reducing the number of pawns on the board. 6.xg6 hxg4 7.hxg4 [ Obviously, 7.xg4 xg4 8.hxg4 e6 is nothing. ] 7...e4! 8.g5 e6 ½-½
Iotov,V Nikolov,M Bulgarian Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten] a
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5.b4 c6 6.f4 c5 7.b8 c4 8.c8+ d3 9.b8 c2 10.c8+ d1 11.b8 c1 12.g4 b1 13.xb1+ xb1 (note that without the h-pawns on the board, this would be a draw) 14.f5 d6! ( not 14...f2? 15.h5! ) 15.f4 d4+ and White resigned. ] 4...c7 5.b4 [ Of course not 5.b3? d3+ . ] 5...c6 6.e3 c2 7.d3! xf2 8.c3 d5 9.xb2 xb2 10.xb2 . Draw – Baburin. On the other hand, note that if there was another pair of pawns left on the kingside in the final position, Black would win automatically. In Baburin’s words: “reducing pawn material always helps the defender!”
Hellsten,J Vescovi,G World Junior Championships, Halle [Johan Hellsten]
2008
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Despite the material balance Black is better here due to his dangerous passed pawn, and now plans to assist it with his king. White’s next move suggests itself. 1.f6! Swapping pawns and creating a passed pawn of his own on f2. gxf6 [ Obviously, after 1...g6? 2.b7 , Black’s king becomes too restricted. ] 2.xf6+ e7 3.b6 d7 4.f3! The king initiates a direct attack on the b2-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 4.g3? c7
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White is a pawn down, but it is easy to see that if the queenside pawns leave the board, then the ensuing rook and two pawns vs. rook and pawn ending should be an elementary draw. Thus his next move suggests itself. 1.cxd6! Speeding up the pawn exchanges before Black’s king enters the battle. [ In the game I opted instead for the overoptimistic 1.c6? , completely missing the strong reply g7! . Now Black’s active king tips the balance in his favour. There followed 2.a1 f6! 3.xa6 e5 4.a7 f7 5.a5 ( very passive, but 5.b5 xd5 6.b6 failed to xc6 7.b7 f1+! 8.g2 b1 etc ) 5...d4!
(the king continues his raid on the enemy pawns) 6.g2 c4 7.a8 xd5 8.b5 c5 9.d8 xb5 10.d7 f6 11.xc7 d5 12.h7 xc6 13.xh6 d4 (despite the reduced material Black wins easily, thanks to the cut-off enemy king) 14.h8 d3 15.d8 d6 16.c8+ b5 17.b8+ c4 18.c8+ b3 19.b8+ c2 20.c8+ d1 21.f2 d2 22.c7 f6+ 23.g2 f5! and White resigned in view of the imminent bridge. Indeed, impressive work by Black’s king, and we will see more of the active king theme in the next chapter. ] [ On the other hand, 1.a1 is also possible; e.g. d3 2.xa6 dxc5 3.c6! cxb4 4.xc7+ g8 5.b7 b3 6.d6 f8 7.b8+ f7 8.d7 e7 9.d8+ xd8 10.xb3 with similar play as in the main line. ] 1...cxd6 2.a1 Continuing with the policy of pawn exchanges. d3 3.xa6 xd5 4.b5 Simplest, in order to exchange the last pair of queenside pawns before Black’s king manages to protect the d-pawn, as occurred in the game. g7 5.b6 b5 6.b7 d5 7.d6 xb7 8.xd5 Such a rook ending is drawn without too much effort, and we just saw a similar case with an extra pair of pawns in Example 460 (Lautier-Gurevich). Note that the mutual rook’s pawns favour White’s cause, since the black king has only one side from which he can assist the pawns; besides, a future passed pawn on the g- or h-file would be less powerful than a similar one on the f- or e-file. b2 Otherwise White could play 9 Rd2 and 10 Kg2, similar to Lautier-Gurevich. 9.g1 . With a waiting game. White holds.
Kasparov,G Karpov,A World Championship, London/Leningrad (2) [Johan Hellsten]
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g5 8.e3 with some advantage for White, although the game was drawn in the end. ] 2.f4!? [ After 2.bxa5 a8 3.c5 ( or 3.c4 b5 ) 3...d6 4.d3 c6! , the a5-pawn soon falls – Kasparov. ] 2...axb4 3.axb4 c6! In the same spirit of reducing the number of pawns. 4.xc6! [ Or 4.xc6+ xc6 5.xc6 bxc6 and the game gets even closer to a draw. ] 4...bxc6 [ Of course not 4...xc6?? 5.xc6! . ] 5.d3 White is slightly better – Kasparov; [ although after 5.d3 a8 , with an active rook and few weaknesses to worry about, Black should still have excellent chances for a draw. ]
Sandipan,C Hebert,J Cappelle la Grande [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme) (Diagramme) White has a slight initiative, and next he could consider Nd3-c5, stepping up the pressure on the queenside. 1...a5! A timely pawn exchange in order to create activity and get rid of a possible weakness. [ In contrast, the game went 1...f6?! 2.d3 c6 3.xc6 xc6 4.c5 e5 5.f4 d7 6.b3! (avoiding a rook ending) d6 7.e4
White should be winning, but how to neutralize Black’s counterattack on the kingside? 1.e5! Indirectly avoiding the exchange of the last kingside pawn. [ In contrast, the straightforward 1.d8? xh2 2.e5 h3 3.e8 xe8 4.xe8 h4 .] After the text Black instead resigned; let’s see a possible continuation:
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[ or 1.a7? a8 2.b6 gxh4 would lead to a draw – Baburin. ] 1...g8 2.a7 g4 3.b6! [ Ponomariov avoids a fortress scenario after 3.xg4?! xg4 4.a8 g5+ 5.b6 xh5 .] 3...g5 [ Or 3...g3 4.a8 xa8 5.xa8 g5 6.g8+ f4 7.g6 and wins – Postny. ] 4.a8 xa8 5.xa8 xh5 6.c5! King first. g5 7.d4 f4 8.d3 f3 9.f8+ g2 10.e2 g3 [ 10...h5 11.h8 is just as hopeless. ] 11.h8 g1 12.f3 1-0
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1...g4 [ Obviously, 1...xh2 runs into 2.g4+ – Baburin. ] 2.f6! xh2 3.h4 . The g3-pawn is now protected against exchanges, so White wins easily by 4 Kd8 next. 1-0
Ponomariov,R Leko,P Dortmund [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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Atalik,E Guramishvili,S Turkish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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White is on the verge of winning, but a correct decision at this moment is essential. 1.h5! A greater number of pawns will slow down Black’s kingside counterplay. [ In contrast, 1.hxg5+? hxg5 ]
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An extra pawn, play on two flanks, and a more active rook – White should be winning, but how to progress? 1.f4! Unworried about the reduced number of pawns, Atalik creates a passed pawn and gets rid of a target on f2. [ Less practical was 1.d4 f6 ; e.g. 2.c5 xf2 3.xb4 f3 and White still has some work to do. ] 1...gxf4+ 2.xf4 f6 3.e3 d6 [ Black gives up the pawn, seeing that 3...g5 4.d4 c6 5.d5 b6 6.c5 would be terminal. ] 4.xb4 g5 5.d4! This bridge will help the king to assist the b-pawn. b6 6.b4 b7
7.d3 c7 8.b5 c1 9.b4 d1+ 10.c4 xg4 11.b6 1-0
Kotronias,V Berg,E Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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1.g4! [ White is about to win a pawn; however, 1.xb5 is strongly met by g4! 2.hxg4 hxg4 with ideas like ...Re8-e2 and ...Rh8-h2. Thus Kotronias first isolates the f3-pawn. ] 1...b4! One pawn stops two. [ Less precise was 1...hxg4?! 2.hxg4 b4 3.d6+ g7 4.d4 , when White obtains an improved version of the game. ] 2.d6+ g7 3.d4 a8! Active defence. 4.xb4 xa2+ 5.xf3 h4! The key move of this endgame, which secures a future target on h3. [ In contrast, accepting the pawn exchange with 5...hxg4+?! would make Black’s task more difficult after 6.hxg4 , followed by a king’s transfer to the opposite flank – Furhoff. ] 6.e4 h2 7.f5 xh3 8.xg5 A pawn exchange was effected after all – but rather in Black’s favour, thanks to the counterplay provided by the passed h-pawn. h1 9.b7+ f8 10.g6 e1! Berg intends to swap the h-pawn for White’s b-pawn in order to save himself in a rook and pawn vs. rook ending. [ Inferior was 10...h3? 11.g5 h2 12.b8+
e7 13.h8! d6 14.h5 c5 15.h6 b4 16.g6 etc. ] 11.f7+ [ After 11.h7 e6+ 12.g5 b6 ] [ or 11.g5 e7! 12.b4 e6+! 13.f5 e3 14.xh4 xb3 15.g6 g8 , Black achieves his goal. ] 11...g8 12.f3 g1! 13.g5 [ On 13.g5 , Black had g3! prepared. ] 13...h1! With the king temporarily out of danger, the moment is right to bet on the passed pawn. 14.h5 [ Or 14.b4 h3 15.b5 h2 16.h3 b1 17.xh2 xb5+ . ] 14...h3 15.h4 h2 16.h3 g1! 17.xh2 xg4 18.h3 [ After 18.g3 xg3 19.xg3 f7 ( and 19...g7 with distant opposition is possible too ) 20.f3 e7 21.e3 d7 22.d3 c7 23.c3 b7! , Black draws – Furhoff. ] 18...g7 Interestingly, both kings are now cut off. 19.f4 b7! Anticipating a pawn ending, Berg provokes b3-b4, which will leave the related key squares at a greater distance from White’s king. 20.b4 f7! We are familiar with such bridges from Chapter Three. 21.c4 [ Or 21.g4 xf4+ 22.xf4 f8! with a draw, now that the b-pawn has left b3. ] 21...f8 22.g4 e8 ½-½
Back to Contents Page
Chapter Eight
Classical Themes Active king Active defence Activity above material Opening a new front Fortresses Theoretical draws
Active king Once the endgame phase is reached, the king usually leaves the role of being an object of attack behind and becomes a great attacking piece himself. Moreover, with the number of pieces being reduced, his contributions to the battle will be essential for either side. Throughout the book we have seen many examples highlighting the importance of an active king in the endgame; e.g.Kramnik-Deep Fritz, Polugaevsky-Tal, Alekhine-Euwe and Ljubojevic-Gligoric, just to name a few. Moreover, the King first! section in Chapter One showed some related ideas. Here we examine a few further examples. Example 470 M.Botvinnik-V.Smyslov, Moscow 1965 Example 471 A.Onischuk-V.Malakhov, Poikovsky 2004 Example 472 A.Miles-E.Gonzalez, Buenos Aires Olympiad 1978 So far we have seen the active king theme mainly from an attacker's perspective; needless to say, the defender can obtain just as great benefits from the same idea. We saw a related case inLipnitsky-Smyslov (in Chapter Three), and here is another example. Example 473 Y.Yakovich-Ju.Hodgson, Calcutta 1991 Sometimes the endgame phase arrives earlier than expected, for example when one of the sides hasn't yet castled. On such occasions it is worth considering the idea of keeping the king in the centre, thus saving a few tempi on its activation – compare the g1-g2-g3-f4 and g8-f8-e8-d7 routes used for this purpose inMiles-Gonzalez earlier in this section. Here is one related case. Example 474 C.McNab-E.Rozentalis, Koszalin 1998 Example 475 Gi.Hernandez-V.Korchnoi, Merida (2nd matchgame) 1996
Active defence Throughout the book we have seen several cases of active defence, such as Salov-Gligoric, Fressinet-Krämer, Ribli-Spassky and Kotronias-Berg, just to name a few. Here are some more. The fact that they are all rook endings is no coincidence – in precisely this type of ending, the difference between active and passive defence can be extraordinarily great. Example 476 S.Tarrasch-A.Rubinstein, San Sebastian 1911 Example 477 K.Szabo-V.Kotronias, Stockholm 2008
Active defence doesn't necessarily mean the surrender of material, as we will see in the next two examples. Example 478 V.Tkachiev-S.Grigoriants, Russian Team Championship 2008 Example 479 A.Volokitin-P.H.Nielsen, German League 2004 Example 480 M.Krasenkow-J.Hellsten, Malmö 1994
Activity above material As we saw more than once in the previous section, sometimes the defender should be ready to give up material in exchange for activity, and the same goes for the stronger side. We came across several related cases earlier in the book, such as Berkes-Horvath, Karpov-Miles, Kochyev-Hansen, Safarli-Melkumyan and Moskalenko-Arencibia. Here are some more. Example 481 I.Kashdan-H.Steiner, Pasadena 1932 Example 482 J.Timman-R.Meulders, Amsterdam 1978 Example 483 M.Carlsen-L.Aronian, Candidates semi-final (5th matchgame), Elista 2007 Example 484 N.Dzagnidze-Ju Wenjun, FIDE Grand Prix, Nanjing 2009 Example 485 T.V.Petrosian-M.Botvinnik, World Championship (5th matchgame), Moscow 1963
Opening a new front In the later stages of the game, it is often difficult to realize a positional advantage if the opponent has only one weakness, or in wider terms, one single burden. In the endgame this is particularly evident, as the reduced material tends to have a relieving effect upon the defence. Thus a key idea for the attacker is to create an additional burden, such as a weak enemy pawn, an entry square, an open file, or a passed pawn of his own, in order to exhaust the opponent's defences. When starting such action we often aren't sure about what kind of burden will appear in the end, and this is the reason why I prefer the more general term "new front" to the usual “the principle of two weaknesses”. By the way, note that the number of burdens (two, three, four, etc) isn't the main point here – what counts is the effect caused upon the defender. Throughout the book we came across many cases of opening a new front; e.g. in Averbakh-Matanovic, Tiviakov-Anand, Smyslov-Karlsson, Savchenko-Couso, Kacheishvili-Atakisi, and others. In fact, the whole section on fixing pawns in Chapter Four involved this idea. Here are some further examples. Example 486 P.Eljanov-D.Kosic, Turin Olympiad 2006 Example 487 A.Kharlov-V.Petukhov, Russian Team Championship 2005 Example 488 I.Sokolov-V.Salov, Madrid 1994 Example 489 T.Heinatz-J.Hellsten, German League 2000 Example 490 P.Nikolic-S.Movsesian, Polanica Zdroj 1996
The next, complex example highlights the usage of zugzwang when working on multiple fronts. Example 491 E.Lobron-M.Gurevich, Munich 1993
Fortresses A “fortress” could be defined as a defensive set-up which, despite a material deficit and without much need of active defence, prevents the stronger side from making progress. We saw a few attempts at a fortress in Khalifman-Shaposhnikov, Matanovic-Larsen and Goldin-Korzubov, while the next, simple example should also help to illustrate the idea. Example 492 B.Larsen-L.Portisch, Porec (8th matchgame) 1968 Example 493 L.Psakhis-V.Smyslov, Rostov on Don 1993 Two main weapons in the fight against a fortress are zugzwang and sacrifices. We saw good proof of their use in Matanovic-Larsen and Goldin-Korzubov, and here is another one. Example 494 S.Voitsekhovsky-V.Yandemirov, Russian Cup, Sochi 1997 In Psakhis-Smyslov we saw the creation of a fortress as a good defensive option in practice; here are two further examples on this theme. Example 495 V.Egin-J.Hellsten, Calvia Olympiad 2004 Example 496 A.Sokolov-R.Vaganian, Minsk (6th matchgame) 1986
Theoretical draws By a “theoretical draw” I refer specifically to an endgame which is drawn according to “the books”, despite a certain material deficit. Some well-known cases are: a) king and two knights vs. king; b) king, “wrong” bishop and rook's pawn vs. king. While in these cases the defence is elementary, the same thing cannot be said about some other theoretical draws such as: c) rook and bishop vs. rook; d) rook, f- and h-pawns vs. rook. In the middle of the scale we would find: e) rook vs. bishop; f) rook and knight vs. rook, and many others. In the previous section we saw that the fortress idea required a certain degree of creativity and ingenuity from its constructor. On the other hand, the theoretical draw concept obviously has more to do with our theoretical knowledge. Aware that a certain, potential endgame is drawn, the player can take practical decisions in critical situations. Indeed, an important part of this concept is the transposition required to get there. This book is in fact replete with theoretical draws, just one case being the transposition to a drawn rook vs. pawn ending featured in Browne-Gulko and Grischuk-Anand, among others. Here are some further examples. Example 497 L.Galojan-M.Tsiganova, European Women's Championship, Plovdiv 2008 Example 498 Y.Seirawan-B.Gelfand, Istanbul Olympiad 2000 Example 499 J.Timman-A.Morozevich, Wijk aan Zee 2002 Example 500 J.Hellsten-J.Granda Zuniga, Santa Cruz 2005 Exercises Back to Contents Page
Botvinnik,M Smyslov,V Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1965
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Onischuk,A Malakhov,V Poikovsky [Johan Hellsten]
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2004
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Black has an extra pawn, but White is reasonably active. Smyslov found a great solution, based on the use of his king as an attacking piece. 1...h6! Heading for the weak enemy pawns at h3 and f3, without worrying about the f7pawn. [ In contrast, 1...f8?! would be a step in the wrong direction, when 2.b3 e7 3.e4 , preparing a3-a4, yields White some counterplay. ] 2.e4 [ Or 2.xf7+ h5 , with the strong plan of ... Kh4xh3. ] 2...h5! In the same spirit of activity above material. 3.xf6+ g5 4.xh7+ xf5 5.h4 e3 With the threat of 6...Bh6, trapping the knight. 6.f8 The sealed move, although White resigned without resuming. Let’s see a possible continuation: f4 7.d7 d4 8.f6 [ After 8.h5 xf3 9.d3 f5 10.h6 a1 11.h7 e4+ , the connected passed pawns decide – Smyslov. ] 8...xf3 9.d3 f4 10.d5+ g4 11.c7 f5 12.xa6 f4 13.c7 f3 14.xb5 h3! . The f-pawn soon queens – Smyslov. 0-1
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White has some initiative thanks to his control of the open file, though the passive state of his minor pieces makes it difficult to capitalize on it at this moment. Onischuk instead opts for a useful move, while awaiting the opponent’s next step. 1.f2! Approaching with the king is rarely in vain when the endgame is around the corner. dxe4?! Malakhov prepares a little positional combination, but we will soon see its defects. [ Onischuk instead suggests 1...f8!? , copying White’s idea. ] 2.xb7 [ After 2.fxe4 a7 , Black would have some counterplay against the enemy pawn centre. ] 2...e3+ The point: White is left with an isolated pawn on d4. [ Instead, after 2...xb7 3.fxe4 , Black is clearly worse – Onischuk; even so, I suspect that this was the least of his evils. ] 3.xe3 xb7 In structural terms Black is fine here, but note the difference in activity between the two kings! With his following moves Onischuk exploits this factor in energetic fashion. 4.c8! b8 [ Or 4...f8 5.d5! exd5 6.xg7+ xg7 7.xe8 with a clear advantage – Onischuk. ] 5.xb8 xb8 6.d5! A key move that clears a path for the king. In the absence of rooks, Black won’t be able to resist the invasion of this piece.
[ Less was promised by 6.d3 d6 , preparing 7...Nc7 with a barrier. ] 6...e5 [ After 6...exd5 7.d4 c7 8.c5! f8 9.b6 , Black’s task is just as hopeless. ] 7.d3! f8 [ Or 7...d6 8.c4 c7 9.g3! with a crushing 10 Ne4 next. ] 8.c4 e7 9.b5 d6 10.c6! Restricting the enemy plan of ...Nc7 and ... Kd7, while situating the king at the “magic” distance from the black knight. [ 10.xa5?! c7 was less technical. ] 10...g6 [ 10...g6 prepares to meet 11.g3 by f5 , but now White hurries to improve his bishop instead. ] 11.c1! f5 [ Just as bad is 11...f6 12.g5 ] [ or 11...d8 12.e3 , heading for b6. ] 12.g5+ f7 13.d8 e4 14.fxe4 fxe4 15.xa5 e7 16.b6 g5 17.d4 . In this hopeless position, Black resigned. 1-0
Miles,A Gonzalez,E Buenos Aires Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1978
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battle. e8 3.e5 g6?! [ This was a good moment for active defence with 3...d7! 4.xg7 c7 , followed by ... Na6xb4 – Miles. ] 4.f3 d7 5.f4 c7? Black’s play is very consistent, but he forgets about the opponent’s possibilities. [ 5...g8 first was correct, when 6.h4 c7 7.xc7! xc7 8.e5 d7 9.h5 keeps some winning chances – Miles. ] 6.xc7! This exchange doesn’t just eliminate the ...Na6 possibility, it also opens a further path for White’s king. xc7 7.e5 g8 Black seems to have everything under control; however... 8.xe6! A great sacrifice that opens the gates for White’s king. [ Less was promised by 8.h4 d7 9.f3 – Miles. ] 8...fxe6 9.xe6 d8 10.d6! [ Not 10.f7?! e7 . With the text White ties the knight to the c6-pawn, and the enemy king to the knight. ] 10...e7 11.e3 Prophylaxis against ...Nf5 and, at the same time, intending to drive away Black’s king from the key square on d7. e8 12.c7 f7 13.d7 f8 14.f3! Creating a passed pawn, a plan that Black can’t parry in any way. f5 [ Or 14...f7 15.e4 dxe4 16.fxe4 f8 17.h3! f7 18.e5 f8 19.e6 (zugzwang) d5 20.xc6 xb4+ 21.xb5 and wins – Miles. ] 15.xc6 xe3 16.d7! Back to the key square on d7. White’s king is a real monster in this example. c4 17.c6 b6+ 18.d8 [ In view of 18.d8 f7 19.c7 e6 20.c8+ xc8 21.xc8 f5 22.d7 , followed by Kd6xd5, Black resigned. ] 1-0
Yakovich,Y Hodgson,Ju Calcutta [Johan Hellsten]
1991
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(Diagramme) As in any endgame the pair of bishops is an asset, but the closed pawn structure helps the knights to some extent. 1.f4 Before anything else, it makes sense to restrict the knight on a8. f8 2.g2 Both sides hurry to bring their kings into the
Black has just given check on g3, preparing to take on h3 next move, which will yield him a dangerous pair of connected passed pawns. White comes up with a unusual solution: abandon all his pawns in order to approach the enemy pawns with his king.
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players agreed to a draw. ½-½
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McNab,C Rozentalis,E Koszalin [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.f4! [ After 1.d4?! xh3 2.c4 h1 3.c5 d1+ 4.c4 h3 5.b2 g5 , the connected passed pawns take their toll. ] 1...xh3 2.e5! fxe5+ [ Or 2...g5+ 3.f5 f3+ 4.g6! fxe5 5.b8+ f8 6.b2 g4 7.g5 with an easy draw. ] 3.g5! Yakovich makes another accurate choice. [ After 3.xe5? f3! , White's king is decisively cut off ] [ while 3.g4 xc3 4.xh4 f8! (preventing 5 Re7) 5.g5 c6 , followed by ...Re6, should also win for Black – Panchenko. ] 3...xc3 [ Or 3...h1 4.xg6 g1+ 5.f5 h3 6.b2 h1 7.xe5 h2 8.e2! g7 9.c4 etc. ] 4.xg6 Thanks to his active king, White now has sufficient counterplay for a draw. g3+ 5.f5 h3 6.b4! Enabling a rear attack with Rh4. e3 [ After 6...g1!? 7.h4 h1 8.g4 f7 9.h6! , White awaits e4 ( or 9...g7 before playing 10.xh3; while 9...e7 can be met by 10.f3 with a waiting game. )] 7.h4 g7 8.h5! Another waiting move, now that the pieces are already well placed. f7 [ 8...a3 9.h4 gets nowhere – Panchenko. ] 9.h7+ g8 10.h4 f8 11.h7 e8 12.g4 . On the next move White can play 13 Rxh3 without fearing the pawn ending, so the
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The battle has reached the endgame, so Rozentalis keeps his king in the centre. 1...e7! From now on, the difference in activity between the two kings will be an important factor, just like in Example 471 (Onischuk-Malakhov). 2.b4 [ If 2.e5 , then ac8 3.ac1 b6 – Rozentalis, when Black is a bit more comfortable - and note that the bishop is not very powerful in this particular pawn structure. ] [ But the simple 2.fd1 hd8 3.f1 might have been preferable, avoiding further weaknesses while activating the king. ] 2...d3 3.e2 hd8 4.fd1 e5! [ Not 4...xb4?! 5.db1 , when White regains the pawn with increased activity. ] 5.a3 xd1+ 6.xd1 c8 Now the absence of White’s king from the battle is strongly felt, whereas Black’s is doing an important job in denying the enemy rook the d6- and d7squares. 7.f4 The threat of 7...Rc3 forces White to play actively. c2! A strong intermediate move which definitely hands over the initiative to Black. [ In contrast, after 7...c6?! 8.f2 , followed by Ke3, White manages to
activate his king with roughly equal play. ] 8.fxe5 McNab tries his luck in a rook ending. [ 8.b5 f3+ ] [ or 8.f2 c4 was less challenging for Black – Rozentalis. ] 8...xe2 9.c1 d7 10.f1 e8 11.c1 e3! The a3-pawn is more important than the doubled ones on the e-file, which can be picked up later. [ After 11...xe4?! 12.c8+ d7 13.f8 e7 14.b8 , White’s counterplay should suffice for a draw. ] 12.f2 xa3 13.c8+ d7 14.f8 e7 15.b8 g5! The key move of this endgame, which creates a route for the king via f8-g7-g6 and at the same time fixes White’s kingside pawns. 16.xb7+ f8 17.b8+ g7 18.a8 h5 19.h4 [ 19.b5 a5 20.e3 xb5 21.xa7 xe5 22.f3 was more tenacious, although after b5 23.a3 f6 24.c3 b2 , the threat of 25...Rh2 forces White to weaken himself by h3-h4 or g3-g4 anyway – Rozentalis. ] 19...g4! Avoiding pawn exchanges, while fixing weak points on g3 and f3. 20.b5 f3+ 21.e2 b3 22.xa7 xb5 23.e3 b3+! Before capitalizing on the doubled e-pawns, Black aims to displace the enemy king. 24.f2 [ Or 24.f4 f3+! ( but not 24...g6? 25.a3! b2 26.d3 – Rozentalis ) 25.g5 xg3 26.xh5 e3 27.xg4 xe4+ 28.g3 xe5 with a type of rook ending that is usually won in practice, thanks to the connected passed pawns. ] 24...b2+ 25.f1 [ After 25.e3 g2 26.f4 g6 , the threat of ...Rf2-f3 decides – Rozentalis. ] 25...b4 26.f2 xe4 27.a5 At first sight it is not evident how to progress with Black, but Rozentalis soon finds the winning plan: a rook transfer to f5. g6 28.b5 a4 [ 28...f5 29.b7 is less productive. ] 29.c5 a2+ 30.f1 a3 31.g2 f3! 32.c7 [ Or 32.c2 f5 33.e2 g7 and a king march to d5 decides – Rozentalis. ] 32...f5 33.c5 f6 . White resigned as he will lose a second pawn. 0-1
Hernandez,Gi Korchnoi,V Merida (match) (2) [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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Here is a tense endgame which is difficult to assess immediately. White’s pressure at g7 restricts the enemy pieces to a considerable extent, but Black controls the open d-file and, in the long run, his knight is superior to the bishop in this structure. Seeing that White probably aims to increase the pressure by Rf2g2 and g4-g5, Korchnoi hurries to launch a counterattack on the opposite flank... with the king alone! 1...c7! The first step of a long journey. It also makes tactical sense to remove the king from the two back ranks, in order to avoid any pins. [ Less productive was 1...d2?! 2.f2 ] [ though 1...h6!? , heading for f7-g5, was also interesting. ] 2.f2 [ An alternative was 2.a4!? , in order to clear the a-file for the rook, thus preventing the further course of the game. There could follow b6 ( not 2...bxa4?! 3.a1 ) 3.axb5 axb5 4.a1 d3!? 5.e2! e3 6.f1 d2 7.xg7! , when both captures on e2 permit 8 Raa7! with a perpetual along the seventh rank. ] 2...b6! By now Black’s intentions are clear: ... Ka5-a4-b3 attacking the enemy pawns. 3.g2 a5 4.g5 a4! Korchnoi sacrifices a pawn so as to speed up his “king’s attack”. 5.gxf6 xf6 6.hxg7 xg7 7.xg7 b3 [ Of course not 7...g8? 8.d1+!
and the king would have to retreat. ] [ After 7...b3 , in contrast, both 8.g6? ( and 8.g2? run into g8! , with a hopeless minor piece ending for White. However, Hernandez has a much better move prepared. )] 8.e7! The e5-pawn is the key to White’s potential success. xb2! Again Korchnoi plays with maximum consequence. [ After 8...d7?! 9.e6 xb2 10.xa6 xc3 11.d6! , White achieves unnecessary counterplay. ] 9.xe5 xc3 10.e6 d7 11.xa6? That pawn will cost White dearly. [ After 11.f6 b2 12.d6 c3 13.d1 g8+ 14.f1 ( or 14.f2? xf6! 15.xf6 d8 16.e1 xd1+! ) 14...xf6! 15.xf6 d8 16.f2+ xa3 17.e2 b4 , Black should also win. ] [ Instead, the restrictive 11.d6! was worth a shot; e.g. b2 ( perhaps Black should try 11...g8+!? 12.f2 e5 in similar spirit to the game, though 13.e2 sees White much better co-ordinated than after the text ) 12.f2 c3 13.d1 xa3 14.f6 and the battle is far from over. ] 11...e5! A move with several virtues: the enemy passed pawns are blockaded, the d-file is cleared for the rook, the white rook is deprived of the c6-square, everything with a gain of tempo. 12.f2? A natural move, but tactically inadequate due to Black’s checking possibility on d3. [ Also bad is 12.e2? in view of d2 13.e6 xe2 14.xe5 c8! and the passed pawn decides; e.g. 15.xb5 c3 16.f6 c2 17.b2 e3 18.xc2 xc2 19.e5 f2 , followed by ...Rf5xe5-e8. ] [ But 12.g2 was possible, hiding the bishop from Black’s king. After d2 13.e6 d3 14.f1! , White aims to swap the minor pieces and then try to save himself in a rook vs. pawns ending. Nevertheless, I think that Black wins by precise play. Here is one sample line: c3 15.xd3 xd3 16.c6 c2 17.f2 c3! 18.d6+ c1 19.h6 b2 20.h1 d3! 21.e2 d4! 22.e3 d1 23.h2 f1! . Black has managed the best angle for his rook – behind the passed pawns. There can follow 24.xc2+ ( or 24.d4 b1 25.xc2 xc2 26.c5 d3! 27.xb5 xe4 28.a4 d5! in “king first!” spirit ) 24...xc2 25.e2 d1! 26.e3 ( both 26.e5 d5; and 26.f6 d6 27.e5 e6 fail for White ) 26...c3 27.f6 e1+
28.f4 d4 29.f5 xe4 30.f7 e1 31.g6 f1 32.g7 c3 and wins. ] 12...d2! The king clears the way for the cpawn and at the same time obstructs its white colleague. 13.e6 d3+ . After 14...c3 on the next move, White would have to give up the rook for the c-pawn, and duly resigned. 0-1
Tarrasch,S Rubinstein,A San Sebastian [Johan Hellsten] a
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1911
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Black is a pawn down, and there is another one in danger on b6. 1...d2! Seizing the second rank, which doesn’t just help Black to attack the enemy pawns, it also enhances his future counterplay on the kingside. [ In contrast, passive defence with 1...d6?! is strongly met by 2.e2 f6 3.a4! e5 4.a5 bxa5 5.xa5+ f4 6.b4 , with the plan of Ra3-b3 and b4-b5. ] 2.xb6+ g5 Of course the king must be used actively as well for Black’s counterattack to work. 3.e1 [ 3.a4 seems more critical, when g4!? 4.e1 c2 5.a5 f3 6.a6 e2+ 7.d1 xf2 8.f6 ( or 8.a7 e1+ 9.c2 a1 10.f6 xa7 11.xf5+ e2 with counterplay ) 8...xb2 9.xf5+ e3 10.a5 d3 11.c1 b8 keeps chances for a draw. ] 3...c2 4.b5 g4! 5.h3+ [ White opts for pawn exchanges, seeing that
5.a4?! f4 , with ...Kf3 next, would even be dangerous for him. ] 5...xh3 6.xf5 xb2 7.f4 [ Or 7.a4 a2 8.a5 g4 9.e5 f3 and Black holds – Panchenko. ] 7...xa2 8.xe4 h5! Exploiting the last resource of activity. 9.c4 g2 10.f4 c2 11.h4 [ Or 11.d1 xf2 12.xf2+ xf2 13.c5 h4 and both sides queen. ] 11...f3! [ Rubinstein avoids the trap 11...xf2? 12.h2+! xh2 13.xf2 . ] 12.d1 xf2 13.c5 e3 14.xh5 d4 ½-½
Szabo,K Kotronias,V Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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Black has just played ...Rc2-h2, creating the threat of 1...Rh3+ with a transposition to a pawn ending where the active king would decide. How should White react? 1.e1! With the active plan of Rg1-g6, never mind the loss of the b3-pawn. [ In contrast, the passive 1.d3?! is met by h3+ 2.e2 g3! ( not 2...xd3 3.xd3 g4 4.c4! and the d-pawn saves a draw ) , when White must play 3.d1 ( since 3.xg3? loses after xg3 4.e3 g4 5.d3 f3 – Furhoff ) 3...xb3 4.g1! , returning to the game. ] 1...h3+ 2.e2 xb3 3.g1! [ The route to d6 matters: after 3.c1? g4!
4.c6 f4 5.xd6 xe4 , Black’s active king decides the outcome. ] 3...b4 [ If instead 3...h5 then 4.g8 , followed by Rd8, and White achieves an attack on d6 anyway. ] 4.e3 xa4 White is now two pawns down, but after the capture on d6, his d-pawn will become a great asset. 5.g6 a3+ 6.e2 b3 7.xd6! The most consequent choice. [ Instead, the game saw the hesitant 7.g1? b4 and Black went on to win. ] 7...a4 [ If 7...g5 , trying to save the e5-pawn, then 8.c6 a4 ( after 8...f4? 9.d6 b4 10.c3! , Black is even in danger of losing ) 9.c8! b4 ( or 9...f6 10.e8 , heading for e6 ) 10.e3 a3 11.d6 d4 12.g8+! f6 13.a8 xd6 14.xa3 , followed by 15 Ra8 with good drawing chances. ] 8.e6 a3 [ Or 8...b4 9.xe5 a3 10.d6 a2 11.d7 d4 12.d5 etc. ] 9.d6 a2 10.d7 b2+ [ White is first to check after 10...a1?! 11.d8+ . ] 11.e3 b3+ . Draw by perpetual.
Tkachiev,V Grigoriants,S Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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Despite the material balance, Black is in some trouble here because of his passive rook and the strong enemy passed pawn.
1...f6! Preparing ...g6-g5 in order to swap pawns and speed up the creation of a passed pawn of his own. [ In contrast, after the passive 1...g7?! 2.f3 f6 3.f4 e6 4.g5 , White keeps some chances for a win. ] 2.f3 [ The seemingly restrictive 2.f4?! just helps the opponent’s case after g5! . ] 2...g5! 3.hxg5 fxg5 4.e3 g6 5.d4 g4 Black’s plan is simple: a timely sacrifice with the rook for the enemy passed pawn, and then force White to do the same thing on the opposite flank. 6.c5 g5 7.b5 a8 8.b6 [ Or 8.a6 f4 9.b6 h4 10.a4!? f3 11.b7 xa6 12.xa6 h3 etc – Baburin. ] 8...f4 9.b7 f8 [ The straightforward 9...xa5 10.xa5+ h4 11.c6 g3 works as well. ] 10.a6 g3! 11.fxg3 f3 12.a7 f2 13.a1 g4 14.a8 xa8 15.xa8 xg3 ½-½
Volokitin,A Nielsen,PH German League [Johan Hellsten]
2004
, permitting 2.c8+ e8 3.c7! d8 ( or 3...e7? 4.d6 ) 4.b5 a8 (such moves usually indicate that something has gone wrong) 5.d3 a6 6.bxa6 xa6 7.b7! g4 8.d4 e8 9.e5 d8 10.xg7 h5 11.e6 and Black resigned. ] 2.d3 [ Or 2.d6 bxc4! 3.c5 ( of course 3.d7? fails to d5+ ) 3...e6 4.c6 ( after 4.d5 e8 , Black’s king is finally ready to join the battle ) 4...e5 , repeating moves – Korchnoi. ] 2...bxc4+ 3.xc4 e2! Preparing a rear attack on the d-pawn, while eyeing the h2pawn at the same time. 4.a6 [ If 4.h3 , then h5 5.g6 g4! 6.hxg4 h4 with counterchances. ] 4...xh2 5.xa7 g4 Black has sufficient counterplay for a draw; [ e.g. 5...g4 6.d6 c2+ 7.d5 g3 8.d7 d2+ 9.c6 g2 10.a1 c2+ and the rook alternates between d2 and the checking squares. ]
Krasenkow,M Hellsten,J Malmo [Johan Hellsten] a
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1994
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Despite being a pawn down White is better, thanks to his active pieces and the dangerous passed pawn on d5. 1...b5! Active defence, and an invitation to exchange pawns. [ Instead, the game saw the passive 1...f8?
White’s pawn minus is well compensated by his advanced protected passed pawn and the active rook. Having just played Rh7-c7, he is now threatening 2 Rxc6, giving rise to a pair of connected passed pawns. What should Black do in response? 1...e4+? I made this move almost without
any thinking, since it is the only one that keeps the c6-pawn on the board. However, on the sixth rank the rook becomes passive and no longer restricts the movements of the enemy king. [ Let’s see the game continuation: 1...e4+ 2.d2 e6 3.c3 h6 4.b4 h4+ 5.a5 c4 6.xc6 d4 7.xa6 d3 8.h6 xc5 9.b7 c6+ 10.xc6 and Black resigned. Where did I go wrong? Was this perhaps a logical conclusion of a lost endgame? Of course that is not so. In this endgame Black draws, and quite comfortably, as long as he applies an active defence. ] [ In contrast, the active defence was realized by 1...c4! 2.xc6 a5 . The white rook is now tied to the c-pawn, so it won’t be able to switch angles. After 3.c7 a4 4.c6 a3 , White can’t progress anymore, while the apawn has become a threat, thus he has to settle for 5.b7+ c8 ( of course not 5...a8?? 6.a7+ b8 7.c7+ c8 8.a8+ d7 9.d8+ etc ) 6.c7+ b8 with a perpetual. ] [ 1...a5 2.xc6 c4! is just as good ] 2.d2 e6? A logical follow-up to the previous move. [ Evidently, the active 2...c4! was still available; e.g. 3.xc6 a5 with similar play as in the last note. ] [ If you prefer a more complex way of making a draw, there is also 2...a5 3.xc6 a4!? ( of course 3...c4 is much simpler ) 4.d6 b4! (preventing c5-c6) 5.xd5 ( or 5.c3 c4+ ) 5...a3 6.d3 a2 7.a3 c4 ( or 7...b5 and Black holds. )] 3.c3 h6? While Black’s two previous moves at least carried an idea – defend the cpawn – this move can only be classified as indifferent. Here I should have asked myself what would happen if the white king reaches a6 – would I be in danger, or would everything still be under control? [ Having replied to that question, you quickly come up with the right idea: 3...e4! 4.xc6 c4+ 5.b3 a5 , in similar style to the previous two notes. White’s improved king doesn’t make much difference; e.g. 6.c7 a4+ 7.a3 d4 8.c6 d3 , when a perpetual with 9.b7+ c8 10.c7+ b8 is again called for. ] 4.b4 The king is now close to arriving at a6, after which White would win by force; [ e.g. 4.b4 g6 (?) 5.a5 h6 6.xa6
g6 7.b7+ a8 8.a7+ b8 9.b7 , followed by 10 Ra8+. This could be considered as the refutation of the passive defence applied in the game. Curiously, even at this moment Black can still save a draw, by a precise active defence. ] 4...h4+? This check wastes a crucial tempo. [ The active 4...h1 , preparing a rear attack combined with an advance of the a-pawn, also loses after 5.xc6 b1+ 6.c3 a5 7.d4 a4 8.c7! and on the next move 9 Ra7 decides, now that White’s king supports the passed pawns, and can hide on c6 if necessary. ] [ But the same plan can be performed with a different move order, first pushing the pawns: 4...d4! A) neither 5.d7 h1 6.xd4 h7! , followed by 7...Kb7 and waiting moves with the rook along the seventh rank; B) nor 5.a5 h1 6.xc6 d3 7.d6 a1+ 8.b4 b1+ , intending 9.c4 ( or 9.a3 b5 ) 9...c1+ , leads anywhere for White.; C) 5.c4 a5! 6.xd4 a4 7.c3 a3 8.b3 ( or 8.a7 h3+ 9.b4 h4+ 10.xa3 c4! 11.a5 b7 and White can’t make progress due to his badly placed rook; e.g. 12.b3 c1 13.b4 b1+ 14.c3 c1+ 15.d2 c4 16.e3 c1 17.d3 b8! 18.d4 d1+ 19.e5 d5+ 20.e6 b7 etc ) 8...h3+ 9.a2 . At this point, mutual zugzwangs are around the corner, so Black must be careful: g3! ( rook moves to f3, e3 or d3 also work, as well as 9...c3 10.xc6 b7 11.c7+ a8! , only not 11...Kb8? 12 c6 with zugzwang ) 10.xc6 c3 11.c7 a8! . C1) Now if 12.c6 , then b8 and the previous zugzwang is applied upon White, who can’t progress; e.g. 13.b1 c4 14.a1 c1+ 15.a2 c3 . ( 15...-- ); C2) As for the attempt to liberate the rook by 12.a7+ b8 13.a5 , Black could reply b7 14.b5 c8! ( avoiding 14...b8? 15.b7 with zugzwang ) 15.b7+ b8 with yet another zugzwang; e.g. 16.b1 c4 17.a1 c1+ 18.a2 c3 and nothing has changed. Evidently, such variations are much easier to work out after than during the game. From a practical perspective,
Black’s main mistakes were committed earlier. ] 5.a5 c4 Ironically, Black applies the correct idea when it is already late. [ In any case he was short of a proper defence; e.g. 5...h1 6.xc6 a1+ 7.b4 b1+ ( or 7...a5+ 8.b5 , heading for a6 ) 8.c3 a5 9.d4 a4 10.c7! , heading for a7, a position that we are familiar with from the note to Black’s fourth move. ( Incidentally, 10.g6 a3 11.xd5 a2 12.c6 also works for White. )] 6.xc6 d4 7.xa6 d3 8.h6! A decisive switch of angle. xc5 9.b7 c6+ A joke in a lost position. 10.xc6 1-0
Kashdan,I Steiner,H Pasadena [Johan Hellsten] a
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1978
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Timman,J Meulders,R Amsterdam [Johan Hellsten]
1932
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a4! 6.e4 a3 7.d5 a2 with a draw. ] 4...a4 [ Or 4...g6 5.e4 f6 6.c7 c8 7.d5 and the king reaches c6. ] 5.e4 a3 6.e5 The king is finally ready to assist the passed pawn. d3 The threat of 7 c7 and Kd6-d7 next forces Black to desperate action. 7.c7 a2 8.xa2 c3 9.d6 d3+ 10.c6 c3+ 11.b7 b3+ 12.a8 c3 13.a7! . Preparing a bridge. In view of 14 Kb8 next, Black resigned. 1-0
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White has an extra pawn, but his passed pawn on c5 is firmly blocked by the enemy knight. Kashdan found a strong idea, in the spirit of “activity above material”. 1.d4! It is worth a pawn to eliminate that knight. [ In contrast, 1.f3?! g6 , followed by ... Kf6, would increase Black’s chances of survival. ] 1...xd4 [ Or 1...c8 2.xc6 xc6 3.f3 , followed by Ke4-d5. ] 2.exd4 xd4 3.c6 d8 4.f3! King first! [ The impulsive 4.c7? fails after c8 5.f3
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In view of the weak e-pawns and Black’s ideally placed rook on e2, White seems to be a long way from victory. However... 1.h4! A key move, sacrificing any of the pawns in order to activate the king. xe4+ [ After 1...xh2+?! 2.g5 g2 3.f6 , White’s task is even easier. ] 2.g5 xe5+ 3.xg6 e2 4.f7+ e8 [ If 4...g8 , then 5.g7+ f8 6.h4! and wins – Timman, since the h5-pawn won’t survive for long; e.g. e3 7.h6 e6+ 8.g6 e5 9.g5 . ] 5.h3! [ Not 5.h4? e3 , followed by 6...Rxg3, and Black draws comfortably thanks to the “bad” rook’s pawn. After the text, White will keep a knight’s pawn instead. ] 5...g2
[ Or 5...e3 6.g4 xh3 7.g5 h4 8.f4 and wins – Timman. In fact we will soon reach the same position in the game. ] 6.f3 h4 7.g4 g3 8.f4! xh3 9.g5 e7 Thanks to the cut-off enemy king, White is easily winning. 10.g7 e6 11.g6 e5 12.f1 g3 13.f7 1-0
Carlsen,Ma Aronian,L Candidates semi-final, Elista (5) [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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In this delicate position, White correctly opted for active means. 1.f4! Preparing h4-h5 and f4-f5 in breakthrough fashion, so that the f7-pawn can be captured without entering a rook ending. [ Instead, after 1.f8?! xc3 2.xf7 xf7 3.xf7+ g8 4.g7+ ( or 4.d7 d3 5.xd5 f7 and Black holds ) 4...f8 5.xg6 d3 , White is hardly any better – Carlsen. ] 1...xc3 [ The restrictive 1...h5? fails to 2.f3 and 3 Ng5+. ] 2.h5! gxh5 [ After 2...g5? 3.f5 xf5 4.xf7 , Black is mated ] [ while 2...b3 3.hxg6+ fxg6 4.e8 b6 5.e7+ g8 6.g7+! f8 7.xg6+ e8 8.e5 , followed by f4-f5, also wins for White – Carlsen. ] 3.f8 With the inevitable threat of f4-f5. a3 4.f5 xf5 5.xf7+ g8 6.g7+ f8 7.b7
a8 At first sight it is far from clear how White can make progress, but Carlsen finds the key to the position. 8.g3! Active king. Once the bishop is chased away from f5, the knight will gain access to either g6 or d7, and mate will be in the air. d8 [ Aronian enables an exchange sacrifice on d7, seeing that 8...c3 9.f4 c2 10.xf5! c1 11.g6+ leads to mate after e8 ( or 11...g8 12.g7# ) 12.f7+ d8 13.f8# - Carlsen. ] 9.f4 e4 10.g3 Avoiding any scenarios of a theoretical draw. [ Another path to victory was 10.f7 , followed by Nxh6 and Rg7-g8 in computer style – Carlsen. ] 10...c3 11.f7+ g8 12.g7+ f8 13.d7+ xd7 14.xd7 [ In view of his desperate position after 14.xd7 c2 15.c7 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Dzagnidze,N Ju Wenjun FIDE Grand Prix, Nanjing [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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White has an extra pawn, but Black is very active. Dzagnidze found the only practical chance. 1.e8+ f6 2.e5+! dxe5?! [ The unexpected 2...f5! was called for, when White would have to settle for a draw; e.g. 3.a6 ( the point is that 3.exd6?? fails to e1+ ) 3...a3+ 4.d2 xa6 5.exd6 xd6+ 6.c3 . ]
3.e4 By this point the kings have definitely changed roles. xa5? It is hard to believe, but Black is now lost despite the extra pawn! [ 3...d1! was essential, cutting off the white king from the d-file; e.g. 4.a6 d4+ 5.e3 d7 6.f8+ e7 7.b8 e6 8.b1 h7 9.a1 h3+ 10.f2 h8 11.a7 a8 12.e3 d6 13.e4 c6 14.xe5 e8+ 15.f5 b7 16.a5 a8 with a draw – Baburin. ] 4.d5! In the same spirit of activity above material. [ In contrast, 4.xe5? a1 ( or 4...a4 ) 5.xc5 e6 is a draw. ] 4...a7 5.e6+! The e5-pawn is White’s first priority. [ On 5.xc5? , Black can draw in several ways; e.g. e7 ( or 5...f5 . )] 5...f7 6.xe5 Black’s king has been fatally cut off. a8 7.e1 c8 8.d6 f8 9.d7 a8 10.f1+! Good technique, further displacing the enemy king. g7 11.c6 c8+ 12.b7 d8 13.f5 d4 14.xc5 f6 15.c8 e6 Black’s king finally manages to get closer, but as we already know from Chapter Three, when the defender’s king is placed on the long side of the pawn, salvation is not possible. 16.c5 d5 17.c6 b4+ 18.c7 h4 19.g8 e6 20.d8 a4 21.b7 1-0
Petrosian,TV Botvinnik,M World Championship, Moscow (5) [Johan Hellsten]
1963
(Diagramme) 1...h1? [ Despite being a pawn down, Black would have had reasonable drawing chances in the rook ending arising after 1...xc3! 2.xc3 h1 ( 2...a1 is also possible ) 3.h3 d7 . Instead, Botvinnik opts for a different move order, which yields White a golden opportunity. ] 2.e4! Petrosian exploits the moment to improve his knight and king, unworried about the loss of the h-pawn. xh2 3.d4 d7 [ Or 3...xg2 4.c7+ d8 5.xh7 , followed by Ke5, with a huge advantage – 'Bulletin'. ]
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4.g3! [ Avoiding 4.g4?! h5! 5.g5 h4 with counterplay. ] 4...b4 5.e5! The king has found a path along f6-g7. h5+ [ Obviously, the restrictive 5...e7 now fails to 6.d2+ and 7 Kxe6. ] 6.f6 e7+ 7.g7! e5 The picture has changed completely since the initial diagram – material is equal, but White’s activity is overwhelming. 8.c6! Preparing Kf7 and Re6 in order to deflect the bishop from either of the crucial d6- and f6-squares. h1 9.f7 a1 [ The passive 9...h5 can be met by 10.g4 ( 10.a5!? , opening a new front on the queenside, is interesting as well ) 10...h4 11.e6 d8 12.d6+ – 'Bulletin'. ] 10.e6! d8 Very passive; [ but the rook ending arising after 10...c5 11.xc5+ bxc5 12.xe5 xa4 13.xc5 should also win for White, whose king remains extraordinarily placed on f7. ] [ On the other hand, 10...b4 permits 11.f6+ c8 12.xe5 , when xa4 unfortunately runs into 13.e4! with 14 Nd5 next – 'Bulletin'. ] 11.d6+ [ The materialistic 11.xe5 xa4 12.g7 was possible too, but Petrosian prefers a different plan, based on the gradual restriction of the enemy pieces. ] 11...c8 [ If 11...c7? , then 12.e8 and the bishop is trapped. ] 12.e8! c7 13.c6 d1 On the defensive. [ 13...xa4? was impossible due to 14.c3
followed by 15 Nd5 – 'Bulletin' ] [ while after 13...b7 14.g5! , Black still can’t play xa4 in view of 15.e6 b8 16.d8+ a8 17.c8 , followed by Nc6, with a tragicomical position. ] 14.g5 d8+ 15.f7 d7+ There was the threat of 15 Rxc7+. 16.g8 . In view of the rapid collapse of his kingside, Black resigned. 1-0
Eljanov,P Kosic,D Turin Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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9.c3 g7 10.d3 f7 11.b4 Finally fixing the b5-pawn. This means that White will no longer be able to enter with the king via b4-a5 but, as we will see next, he has other plans. a4 12.e3 g7 13.d4 e8 14.e2 [ A good alternative was 14.e4! d8 15.c5 xh5 16.xb5 with similar play as after White’s 20th move in the game. ] 14...c6 15.f4 h7 16.f1! Losing a tempo. g7 17.d3 Zugzwang – one of Black’s various burdens (the b5-pawn, the entry square on c5, the h6-pawn and the h1-a8 diagonal) can no longer be carried on his shoulders. e8 18.e4 Destroying the enemy barrier. d8 19.c5 xh5 20.xb5 Such positions with mutual passed pawns are much to the liking of the bishop pair. e8+ [ After 20...g6 21.g2 c2 22.b6 g6 23.c7 f5 24.h2 f7 25.b5 , White also wins – Müller. ] 21.c5 h5 22.g5 f7 23.f6+ . Helpless against the looming advance of the b-pawn, Black resigned. 1-0
Kharlov,A Petukhov,V Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
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Thanks to his bishop pair and more active king White is much better, but Black has managed, using a barrier, to set up a fortress on the queenside. 1.h4! Opening a new front on the opposite flank. [ Less was promised by 1.e5 f5 2.g4 fxg4 3.xg4 g6 ] [ or 1.f3 e7 2.e5 xf3 3.gxf3 f5 4.a4 bxa4 5.bxa4 d7 with 6...Kc6 next. ] 1...e7 2.g4 d6 3.e5+ Avoiding 3...e5+ while clearing the b1-h7 diagonal for the bishop. fxe5+ 4.fxe5+ e7 5.d3 g6 [ Or 5...h6 6.h5 f7 7.e3! e7 8.f4 f7 9.g5 with similar play. ] 6.h5! Such pawn breaks, with the purpose of creating new weaknesses, are typical when possessing the bishop pair in the endgame. We saw some related cases in Examples 275 (Gurevich-Sandipan) and 277 (IllescasKrasenkow). gxh5 7.gxh5 h6 8.e2 f7
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In view of the chronic weakness on d5 White is better, but how to progress? 1.h3! Preparing g2-g4 with a new front on the kingside. e6 [ If 1...h5 , then 2.g4! anyway, when at least one file is cleared for the rooks. ]
2.g4 h8 3.ag1 fxg4 4.hxg4 [ Another option was 4.xg4+!? f5 5.f3 , with h4-h5 next, in order to create a weakness on g6 – Roiz. ] 4...g5?! Black enables ...Be8-g6, but “don’t move your pawns where you are weaker” goes an old saying. [ A safer choice was 4...h6 , followed by ... Kf7-g7 – Roiz. ] 5.h6 e8 6.h1! Preparing f2-f4 with increased pressure on Black. [ 6.e4 dxe4 7.xe4 g6 8.xg6 xg6 9.e1+ f7 10.d5 cc8 and Black keeps the material balance. ] 6...g6 7.f4 e4? A tactical slip. [ Correct was 7...f7! 8.c3 ( not 8.f5?! g7 and 9...Bf7 ) 8...g7 9.h3 e4 10.xe4 dxe4 with an inferior, but materially balanced position. ] 8.fxg5 g8 9.xe4 dxe4 10.d5+ f7 [ Or 10...e5 11.f1! xh6 12.gxh6 with mate – Roiz. ] 11.g6+! Perhaps Black had overlooked this intermediate check, which preserves White’s extra pawn. g7 12.xh7+ xh7 13.gxh7 xh7 14.c4! Kharlov clears a path for his knight along c2-d4, and takes a first step in the future advance of the queenside pawn majority. g6 15.c2 h6 16.c3 f7 [ Or 16...g7 17.d4 f7 18.h1! , when both g6 ( and 18...xg4 19.f5 ) 19.f5 xf5 20.gxf5 , followed by Kd4, are terminal for Black – Roiz. ] 17.d4 e5 18.g5! A clever temporary sacrifice to activate the rook. f5 [ If 18...fxg5 , then 19.e6 e7 ( or 19...f3 20.xg5+! xg5 21.xc7 f5 22.e6! , heading for d8 ) 20.xg5+ f6 21.g8 with an overwhelming advantage. ] 19.h1 g4 20.e6 c8 [ Or 20...e7 21.h8 xe3 22.h6+ f7 23.h7+ e8 24.g6 etc – Roiz. ] 21.h3 b8 22.b4 b6 23.axb6 xb6 24.h8 e5 [ If 24...xe3 , then 25.h6+ f7 26.g6+ etc. ] 25.h6+ f7 26.f6+ [ In view of his hopeless position after 26.f6+ e7 27.d4 , Black resigned. ] 1-0
Sokolov,I Salov,V Madrid [Johan Hellsten] a
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1994
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In this endgame, the pawn structure speaks clearly in White’s favour: the protected passed pawn on b5 is a constant headache for Black, who also suffers from weak points at d5 and d6. However, for the moment Salov has everything defended, and it is evident that White should try to add some complexity to the position. 1.f1! Preparing the opening of a new front on the f-file. b6 [ Here and later 1...e6 was possible in order to swap the active enemy bishop, although after 2.e4 xd5 3.xd5 , followed by Ke3 and f3-f4 or g3-g4, White keeps a clear initiative. Interestingly, Salov had declined the exchange of bishops on d5 a few moves earlier, whereas Sokolov in his 'Chess Informant' notes suggested it. ] 2.e1 [ 2.e4 ] [ or 2.e2 seemed more natural, but Sokolov is not in a hurry, aware that the opponent can’t undertake anything active. ] 2...f8 3.e2 bb8 4.e4 c8 5.e3 b6 6.df2! White has deployed his forces in an ideal way, and now waits for the right moment to clear the f-file. d7 [ In the event of 6...f6 , Dautov indicates the sacrifice 7.g4! hxg4 8.h1 , when both gxf3 ( and 8...e6 9.fxg4 xd5 10.cxd5 , followed by Kd3-c4 ) 9.h7+ d8 10.gxf3 d7 11.fh2 , preparing Rg7 and Rhh7,
clearly favour White. ] 7.g4! The right pawn, so as to clear two files in one strike. [ 7.f4?! f6 is less convincing; e.g. 8.f5 g5 9.h1 h8 10.g4 e8 11.g3 h6 12.fh2 h8 13.gxh5 h6 14.g4 f7 15.xf7 xf7 16.d2 e7 17.hd1 h8 18.h1 h6 and Black holds – Dautov. ] 7...hxg4 [ Or 7...h4 8.g5 with ideas like 9 f4 and 9 Rh1 – Sokolov. ] 8.fxg4 e6 [ Seeing that 8...f6?! 9.g5 f5 10.h1 would be very unpleasant for him, Salov finally accepts the exchange of bishops. ] 9.g5 Fixing a target on f7. bb8 10.f6! Provoking the capture on d5. xd5 [ In the event of 10...bc8 , White increases the pressure by 11.h1! , heading for h7; e. g. h8 12.xh8 xh8 13.xe6 fxe6 14.xg6 and wins – Dautov. ] 11.cxd5! The correct recapture so as to enable a future entrance of the king on the queenside. b7 12.d3 d7 13.c4 b7 14.1f3 [ The immediate 14.h1 was also strong. ] 14...bb8 15.h3! The last straw – in order to resist the invasion of the enemy rook, Black will have to abandon defensive tasks on other parts of the board. This is indeed the essence of the “new front” theme. h8 [ Or 15...b6 16.h7 e8 17.g3! with a decisive zugzwang – Sokolov; e.g. e7 18.xg6 . ] 16.xh8 xh8 17.b6! Of course; with credit to White’s 11th move. h1 18.b5 c4 [ Seeing that 18...b1+ 19.a6 is hopeless for him, Salov opts for drastic measures. ] 19.b7 [ Evidently, 19.xc4?? b1 would ruin all White’s previous efforts – Dautov. ] 19...c3 20.a6 b1 [ Or 20...c2 21.b8 c1 22.b7+ with a quick mate. ] 21.f3 c2 22.c3 . With Ka7 and b7-b8Q coming up, Black resigned. 1-0
Heinatz,T Hellsten,J German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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Black is better thanks to his more active rook and bishop, but obviously it is no big advantage. To win such positions you usually need some mistakes from your opponent, so your task is to create the opportunities for him! 1...g5! Fixing the h3-pawn as a future target while preparing ...Kg7-f6-e5. [ Less precise was 1...g7?! 2.h4! . ] 2.e2 g7 3.g3?! A natural choice; [ so as to meet 3.g3 f6 with the restrictive 4.f4 , but now the kingside structure becomes less stable. ] [ Active defence with 3.b2 c6 4.b6! was preferable; e.g. e8 ( or 4...xa2+ 5.e3 , recovering the pawn at once ) 5.c4! (both here and on the next move, the a6pawn is poisoned) f6 6.d2! , heading for c2-b2, when Black has nothing better than b5 , simplifying to a draw. ] 3...c6! 4.b2 [ Due to Black’s previous move, 4.f4? fails here to gxf4 5.gxf4 b5! 6.xb5 axb5 7.h4 h3 . ] [ But the active 4.c2!? was possible; e.g. a4 5.c5! xa2+ 6.e3 h6 7.a5 with an impending draw. ] 4...f6 Now how should White cope with the threat of ...Ke5 - ? 5.d2? A useless move provoked by time trouble. [ 5.f4? was equally bad due to gxf4 6.gxf4 b5 7.xb5 xh3! and Black wins a pawn. ]
[ On the other hand, 5.e3 seems rather natural. However, Black could lose a tempo by d7! , exploiting the fact that White has no solid reply ( 5...b5 6.b3 is unconvincing; while 5...e5 can be met by 6.f4+ ) . There could follow 6.d2 ( not 6.c2? b5 ) 6...h5! (working on a new front) 7.e3 ( or 7.h4?! g4 ) 7...h4 8.gxh4 gxh4 9.f4 e5! 10.f5 b5 11.b3 xa2 12.xb5 axb5 13.f3 g5! 14.xb5 a3+ and 15...Kf4 next, with good winning prospects. ] [ Thus White’s best chance is probably 5.b6 , when Black could reply e8! 6.c4 a5 , followed by h7-h5, just as before. Contrary to the 3 Rb2 subline, here 7.d2 e5 8.c2? runs into f3! , when the defects of 3 g3 make themselves remembered. ] 5...e5 6.b6 [ Or 6.f3 f5! 7.exf5 exf5 with strong pressure. ] 6...xe4 7.xa6 xa2+ 8.e3 In a pure rook ending or bishop ending, White would have good drawing chances in such a structure; but with both of them on the board, he won’t be able to parry the attack on the h3pawn. a3+ 9.e2 f3+ [ Another good option was 9...f5 , softening up that pawn for the rook. ] 10.d2 g2 11.d3 h5! Pawn trades usually favour the defender, and this is no exception. 12.h4 gxh4 13.gxh4 a4 Conquering the h-pawn, with an easy win. [ There followed 13...a4 14.b5+ d5 15.b8 xh4 16.e2 h1 17.e3 h4 18.h8 g2 19.h5+ f5 20.f3 h3 21.h6 c1 22.d2 c6 23.e3 c3+ 24.f2 c2 25.e3 and the rest of this endgame was covered in Example 418 at the beginning of Chapter Seven. ] 0-1
Nikolic,P Movsesian,S Polanica Zdroj [Johan Hellsten]
1996
(Diagramme) White is evidently better in this rook ending, but the weak pawns on a6 and c6 alone won’t be enough for victory. 1.g4! A key advance in order to open a new
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front on the kingside. Note that on most other moves Black could reply 1...h5!, gaining some space and avoiding a future target on the h-file, an idea that we are familiar with from the "Space" section in Chapter Six. h6 [ The active 1...c5? backfires after 2.d3 c6 3.c4 – Stohl ] [ while 1...h5!? is well met by 2.gxh5 gxh5 3.f4! , intending f4xe5+ and Ke4. ] 2.h4 a8 Awaiting White’s next step. [ Instead, active defence with 2...f5? would just help the opponent after 3.gxf5 gxf5 4.f4! , when the f5-pawn turns into a target. ] 3.b4 a7 4.a3 An ideal structure in such positions, reinforcing White’s control of the a5and c5-squares. a8 5.d3 a7 6.e3 a8 7.f4! Nikolic resumes the work on the new front. [ After 7.f4 , there is now the threat of -8.fxe5+ fxe5 9.e4 . ] 7...exf4 8.exf4 c7 Black prepares ...Kb6 and ...Rd8+ in order to activate his rook, but White is first to create new threats on the kingside. 9.h5! This advance is bound to create some weakness in the enemy camp. Note that, from a5, the rook is able to act on both flanks at the same time. gxh5 [ After 9...g5 10.e4 , the king invades via f5-g6 with decisive effect ] [ while the sacrifice 9...g8 makes little sense after 10.xa6 gxh5 11.gxh5 g4 12.e4 h4 13.a5 and White defends everything – Stohl. ] 10.xh5 [ Less promising is 10.gxh5?! d6 11.e4 e6 12.c5 c8 13.a4 d6 14.f5 b8!
with counterplay for Black. ] 10...g8 11.h4! [ Nikolic avoids 11.xh6?! xg4 12.xf6 g3+ 13.e4 xa3 , when the draw is not far away. ] 11...d7 [ A counterstrike with 11...f5 permits 12.gxf5 g3+ 13.e4 xa3 14.f6! , followed by Kf5, when the f6-pawn becomes very dangerous. ] 12.e4 e6 13.f3! Liberating the rook from the defence of the g4-pawn. Thus White doesn’t just renew the threat to h6, he also prepares to return the rook to the queenside, where Black’s pawns have been rather abandoned by the ...Kc7-d7-e6 manoeuvre. h8 14.h5 h7 15.g3! A useful move before switching flank with the rook. Once it reaches h5, the king will become a powerful attacking piece. d7 16.a5 a7 17.h4 f7 18.h5 g7 19.f5! [ Seeing that 19.c5 c7 20.a4?! runs into b7 21.xc6 xb4 22.xa6 xf4 , Nikolic secures the f-pawn in advance. Meanwhile, Black has no corresponding prophylaxis at his disposal, and must shed a vital tempo. ] 19...h7 20.c5 c7 21.a4! g7 22.b5 White’s positional assets are finally converted into material gains. Note the impact of a second front – with the kings on, say, d4 and d7 instead, the plan with b4-b5 wouldn’t have been nearly as effective. axb5 23.axb5 b7 24.bxc6 c7 25.c1! Zugzwang. c8 [ If 25...h7 , then 26.d1! is the simplest way to victory; e.g. xc6 27.d7+ g8 28.g6 (winning a tempo thanks to the mating threat – this is the reason why 25 Rc1 was more precise than 25 Rd5) f8 29.f7+ e8 30.xf6 c4 31.h5 , followed by 32 Rxh6 – Stohl. ] 26.c7 f7 27.c6 [ Nikolic of course avoids 27.xh6?? h8# .] 27...g7 28.h4! Heading for the opposite flank. f7 29.g3 [ After 29.g3 e7 30.f4 f7 31.e4 e7 32.d5 , both f7 ( and 32...d7 33.xf6 ) 33.d6 are terminal, so Black resigned. ] 1-0
Lobron,E Gurevich,M Munich [Johan Hellsten] a
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1993
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Thanks to his more active king and the weak pawn on g4, Black has a clear advantage in this bishop ending. Note that the d5-pawn is hardly a weakness, since it will be ready to advance as soon as the white king leaves the third rank. 1.d3 Lobron makes a waiting move with the king, so that the bishop keeps controlling both the g4-pawn and the entry square on e4. b5+ 2.d2 [ After 2.c3 a6 , a first zugzwang emerges. The bishop should keep the e4square under control, but if it moves to g2 or h1, then 3...Be2 follows. Thus White must move his king; e.g. 3.d2 , and after d4 , similar play arises as in the game. ] 2...d4 A small triumph for Black – the opponent is further pushed back and a future path along d5-c4 is cleared for the king. 3.b7 Another waiting move. [ Here and later, 3.exd4+? xd4 clearly favours Black, whose king now occupies a dominant position, with the b4pawn in sight. ] [ On the other hand, after 3.b7 , Black does not benefit from dxe3+?! 4.xe3 at any moment. As a result, the tension is likely to remain for a while. ] [ But 3.d1!? was a good alternative, so as to keep the bishop close to the f3-square, and at the same time enable checks at c2 or b3 if Black’s king moves to e4 or d5
respectively. There can follow e4 4.c2+ d3 5.b3 d7 6.d1! e6 7.a4 (thanks to the previous move, the bishop reaches a more active diagonal) f3 8.xd3 xg4 9.e4 . White’s idea is simple: sacrifice the bishop for the g-pawn in order to leave the opponent with a rook’s pawn and the “wrong” bishop. Black would like avoid this scenario by shepherding the gpawn with the bishop, but in that case White’s e-pawn will be ready to advance; e. g. f2 ( or 9...e6 10.d1+! f4 11.d4 g4 12.xg4! xg4 13.c3 , followed by Kb2-a1 and White achieves his goal, the pawns on b4 and e4 having no relevance ) 10.e5 f5+ 11.d4 g4 12.c6 g3 13.c5 g4 14.d6 f3 15.xf3 xf3 16.e6 will lead to a draw. ] 3...e8! Gurevich prepares the following plan: 1) chase away the white bishop from the long diagonal by ...Bg6-e4; 2) transfer his own bishop to the h3-c8 diagonal in order to tie its white colleague to the g4-pawn; 3) place the king on d5. As we will see next, if this plan succeeds then White might end up in zugzwang. 4.f3 g6 5.b7? This lazy move seems like the decisive mistake. [ Again 5.d1! was called for; e.g. e4 ( or 5...b1 6.f3 a2 7.d3 ) 6.e2! c6 7.d2 b5 ( if 7...e4 , then 8.c2+ f3 9.d1+ ) 8.f3 and Black has not progressed. ] 5...e4! 6.c8 [ The pawn ending arising after 6.xe4? xe4 7.exd4 xd4 is easily won for Black ] [ but 6.a6 was more tenacious. There can follow c6 7.e2 ( if 7.d3 , then d7 8.e2 d5! with the same zugzwang that later emerges in the game; on the other hand, 7.d3 dxe3 8.xe3 d7 9.e2 d5 10.f1! xg4 11.a6 might yield some slight hope of survival, related to a bishop sacrifice for the g-pawn as in the 3 Bd1 subline ) 7...e4 8.d3+ d5 9.e2 ( on 9.e2 , there follows the same reply ) . White seems to be holding his own, but after 9...d7! , Black achieves a similar zugzwang as later on in the game; A) e.g. 10.e4+ e5 11.f3 c6 12.b5 ( it is unpleasant to place all the pawns on the “wrong” colour, but 12.c2 b5 13.b1 failed to c4! , followed by d4-d3, and the king enters via d4 ) 12...d7 13.c4 d6 and the weakness on b5 decides matters after 14.d3 c5 15.e5
xb5 16.xb5 xb5 17.e4 c5 18.e6 d6 .; B) 10.f3? dxe3 drops a pawn; C) while after 10.f5 , then b5+! ( but not 10...xf5? 11.gxf5 dxe3 12.b5! , gaining space with a draw ) 11.d2 c4! and Black should win; e.g. 12.d3+ xb4 13.exd4 xd3 14.xd3 a5 15.e4 a4 16.d5 c5! and the a-pawn queens with check. ] 6...c6 7.a6 [ After 7.d3 b5+ 8.d2 d5 , Black’s king enters decisively via c4 – Gurevich ] [ while 7.f5 d5 8.d3 d7 9.e2 runs into c8! , repeating the zugzwang. ] 7...d7 8.e2 d5! Gurevich has reached his goal. The white bishop must cover both weaknesses: the g4-pawn and the entry square on c4. As it is already performing that task, a waiting move is needed for White. However, there is none available, with the king tied to the e3-pawn. 9.f3+ The least of evils – Lobron lets the enemy king enter via c4, in exchange for the d4-pawn. [ 9.d3 failed to b5+ with an easily won pawn ending. The pawn moves aren’t advisable either. ] 9...c4 10.e2+ xb4 11.exd4 a5 Black’s plan is now simple: advance the apawn in order to deflect the white king, and then eliminate the enemy pawns with his own king. [ 11...c6?! was less convincing due to 12.a6! , obstructing the a-pawn. ] 12.c2 [ After 12.f3 b3 13.d5 ( or 13.c1 c4 14.d5 d3! , heading for e4, and the white pawns will soon fall ) 13...b2 14.d1 a4 15.xa4 xa4 , Black wins by 16...Bd7 on the next move. ] 12...c6! Heading for the great blockading square on d5. 13.b2 d5 14.d3 Lobron resigned at the same time. [ There could have followed 14.d3 a4 15.c2 a3 16.f5 b3+ 17.b1 c3 and Black wins comfortably – Gurevich. ] 0-1
Larsen,B Portisch,L Porec (match) (8) [Johan Hellsten] a
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1968
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Two minor pieces rarely compensate for a whole queen, but here we have an exception. 1...g4! . The fortress is complete – the bishops and the pawns defend themselves mutually, while White’s king won’t be able to enter the e5-e8-h8-h5 square. Thus mate is not a concern for Black, neither is zugzwang, as he can always move the king. In fact Larsen accepted a draw already in this position. By the way, note that a fortress is more easily arranged when there is play on one flank only. [ 1...-- ] ½-½
Psakhis,L Smyslov,V Rostov on Don [Johan Hellsten]
1993
(Diagramme) In the endgame, the team of rook and pawn often outperforms two minor pieces, a subject that we touched upon at the end of Chapter Seven. In the above position Black’s task is further complicated by the strong passed pawn on b4, supported by White’s active pieces. Moreover, the g6-pawn is weak. 1.b5 The most straightforward choice.
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[ In the event of 1.e5 , Black could reply h5 2.b7 e8 3.d6 a4 and the bishop stays on the a4-e8 diagonal, ready to sacrifice itself for the b-pawn, just like in the game. Attempts to chase it away make no sense; e.g. 4.a7 b5 5.a5 f1 and the bishop switches to an even longer diagonal. ] 1...xb5! The most practical, and perhaps only solution. [ In contrast, after 1...e4?! 2.b8 , followed by b4-b5, the position remains very unpleasant for Black. If he sends his king to the queenside, he probably loses the g6-pawn, after which the h-pawn turns into a new concern for him. It is not really necessary to investigate whether Black can save a draw here – you will soon see that the kind of static inferiority faced by him in the game is much easier to deal with. ] 2.xb5 g7 3.e5 h5! The idea behind this fortress is simple. The only way for White to make progress is to try to win the g6-pawn. In the process, both his king and rook should attack it, which means that the f4-pawn becomes undefended. The latter fact is exploited by the knight which, in the case of capturing on f4, also protects the g6-pawn. 4.b4 h7 5.e6 g7 6.a4 g3 [ At this point, Psakhis continued 6...g3 7.a8 and after h5 8.e5 g3 , a draw was agreed. ] Let’s see a more critical continuation: 7.a7+ h6 8.f7 h5 9.g8 The best try. [ Both 9.a8 ] [ and 9.a4 would be met by h7
, when White hasn’t achieved anything. Note that thanks to his spare move with the king, Black never ends up in zugzwang. ] 9...f6+ 10.h8 At this moment, the knight can’t move due to the mate on h7, so the king must leave the fortress. Fortunately, the pawns on h4 and f4 are too exposed for White to aspire to anything real. h5 11.g7 d5 12.a4 e3 [ Another solution is 12...xh4 13.d4 ( or 13.xg6 g4 ) 13...xf4! 14.xf4+ g3 and the advance of the f-pawn secures the draw. ] 13.a6 d5! 14.xg6 xh4 15.g5 xf4 . Draw.
Voitsekhovsky,S Yandemirov,V Russian Cup, Sochi [Johan Hellsten] a
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1997
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[ Or 8...g8 9.xf6! xf6 10.xf6 with an easy win. ] 9.xf6 xh3 10.xf7+ h6 11.f6+ h7 12.g6 f4 13.f7! 1-0
Egin,V Hellsten,J Calvia Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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2004
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With precise play White can take this fortress. 1.b3 f8 2.e3 h7 3.d7 g5 4.d8 g7 [ Black has to let the enemy king come closer, since 4...h7 would just worsen things after 5.e8+ g7 6.e7 g5 7.f8! (zugzwang) xh3 8.xf7+ and White wins – Finkel. ] 5.e7 h7 6.a3 g5 7.c3! Losing a tempo. [ 7.a6?! xh3 8.xf6 g5 is less convincing. ] 7...h7 [ On 7...e4 , there follows the same reply. ] 8.c6 Black is finally in zugzwang. g5
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Black is a whole exchange down, but White’s bad kingside structure provides some slight compensation. Around this point I started working on a fortress, convinced that it was the best defensive idea available. 1...a5! To have any chance of salvation Black needs to swap the queenside pawns, thus reducing the number of possible targets in his camp, or enemy fronts, if you prefer. With the battle limited to a single flank and just one weak pawn on f7, the fortress will be more viable. 2.bxa5 xa5 3.b1 [ White couldn’t prevent the second exchange of pawns; e.g. 3.e3 b4! . ] 3...xa3 4.xb5 c1 5.e3 c6 [ Of course not 5...xe3? 6.fxe3 and White’s pawn structure has been considerably improved, after which the plan of f3-f4, e3-e4 and f4-f5 in order to split the black pawns, should suffice for victory. ] [ As for 5...h6!? 6.xc1 xc1 , White would keep some winning chances related to the f3-f4-f5 breakthrough. In the game a similar position is reached, albeit with the white h-pawn on h4, which
evidently favours Black. ] 6.a5 Heading for the seventh rank. h6? A careless move. [ 6...c2 7.f4 c7 was essential, supervising the seventh rank. ] 7.d4? [ In time-trouble both players missed 7.a7 g7 8.e7! , when the dual threats of 9 Ra7 and 9 Qf6+ cannot be parried properly; e.g. c8 9.a7 f8 10.xe6 with an easy win. ] 7...c1 8.h4?! Egin aims at preventing an annoying queen check on g5, but from now on the h4-pawn turns into a target for the bishop. [ Nevertheless, it was not obvious how to make progress with White; e.g. 8.d8 f4 9.a8 g7 and Black holds. ] 8...f4! Supposedly we shouldn’t exchange pieces when behind in material, but I am confident about my fortress idea. 9.a4 [ If 9.e4 g7 10.a7 , then g5!? and Black should be okay; e.g. 11.xf4 ( after 11.hxg5?! xg5+ , the black queen is quite annoying ) 11...gxf4 12.h3 ( or 12.f1 g6 13.e2 g7 14.a5 f5 etc ) 12...g6 13.a1 g7 14.g1+ h6 , when neither 15.g5 ( nor 15.e1 g6 ) 15...f8 leads anywhere. ] 9...xd4 10.xd4 In this endgame White has two main ideas: a) place the rook on the seventh rank and transfer the king to e8 so as to attack the f7-pawn; b) sacrifice a pawn with f3-f4-f5 in order to weaken the h5-pawn (in the event of ...g6xf5) or enable an invasion with the king by Kd5 and e5-e6 (if Black replies ...e6xf5). f8 It is time to use the bishop for interfering purposes. 11.d7 g7 12.g3 c5 13.f4 [ If 13.d8 , denying the bishop the h4-d8 diagonal, Black could reply e7 14.e8 c5 15.f4 b6 , when White can’t easily activate his king without dropping a pawn; e. g. 16.f3 c5 17.e2 b6 18.f3 c5 19.d3 f2 , while if the rook leaves e8, then the bishop can return to e7. ] 13...f8 14.b7 e8 15.f3 e7 The bishop’s preferred diagonal, where it hits the most valuable of the enemy pawns. [ In contrast, after 15...f8?! 16.b8+ e7 17.f2 h6 , White could try 18.e3 g7 19.e4 h6 20.a8 g7 21.f5! in accordance with plan “b” outlined above; e.g. gxf5+ ( or 21...exf5+ 22.d5 , preparing Ra7+ and e5-e6 ) 22.d4 and the h5-pawn is in trouble. ]
16.h3 d8 17.a7 e7 18.g3 d8 19.a4 e7 20.d4 d8 21.d1 e7 22.h1 c5 Simplest, in order to restrict the enemy king. 23.c1 [ If 23.g2 , then e3! . ] 23...e7 24.c4 d8 25.g2 e7 [ Of course not 25...xh4? 26.f5 , followed by 27 f6, and the f7-pawn becomes a problem. ] 26.g3 [ More critical was 26.f1 , trying to activate the king. I was planning to reply f5!? in order to win the h4-pawn, although after 27.exf6 xf6 28.e4! f7 29.e2 , a waiting game with e7 is preferable ( Black should avoid 29...xh4? 30.f5 , when White obtains a strong passed pawn ) ; e.g. 30.d3 f6 31.c4 e7 32.b5 f6! (heading for f5) 33.e5 d6 ( or 33...f7 and a draw is inevitable. )] 26...d8 27.a4 e7 28.a8+ d7 29.a7+ e8 30.b7 d8 31.b8 [ In the event of 31.f5 , the simplest reply is exf5 , when 32.e6?! fxe6 33.g7 f6 34.xg6?? f7 35.h6 g7 36.xh5 g6 ends in disaster for White. In any case, it is evident that the f4-f5 advance becomes less powerful when the white king is not actively placed. ] 31...d7 32.a8 e7 33.a1 e8 34.h1 c5 35.h2 b6 36.h1 c5 37.g2 e3 38.g3 c5 ½-½
Sokolov,A Vaganian,R Minsk (match) (6) [Johan Hellsten]
1986
(Diagramme) White’s position seems difficult in view of Black’s advanced passed pawns. The immediate threat is 1...d2, followed by 2...Kd7, liberating the rook from the defence of the knight. Then ideas like ...Rc1+ and ...d1Q would be in the air. 1.xc2! At first sight this looks like a miscalculation, but it is actually White’s best option. [ The natural 1.f1?! could be met by d7 2.b5 c7 3.d5+ d6 4.e5+ ( or 4.xb4? xb4 5.xb4 c1+ 6.f2 c5
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and the threat of 7...d2 can’t be parried; e.g. 7.b2 c2+ ) 4...e6 5.e3 e2 and White remains in difficulties. ] 1...dxc2 2.xc6 b3 Evidently, one of the passed pawns will soon queen. But the fact that the further battle will be reduced to one single flank, alongside the secure location of White’s king, protecting (and protected by!) his fellow pawns, makes the thought of a fortress quite realistic. Incidentally, there exist many fortresses within queen vs. rook and pawn(s) endgames – for example, Kg1, Rg3 and Pf2 vs. Kf6 and Qe5 is a draw. 3.h2 b2 The further course of the game will show us that, once White freezes the pawn structure by e4-e5, his defensive task is made easier. [ Thus 3...f6!? was an interesting alternative, upon which White should probably reply 4.e5! anyway, getting rid of a future weakness. There could follow fxe5 ( after 4...f5?! 5.c3 b2 6.xc2 b1 7.f2 f7 8.f3 , we have reached the first of several fortresses within this example, one that Black is unlikely to destroy, e.g. g5 9.fxg5 g6 10.f4 e1 11.h4 xe5 12.f4 xg5 13.h4 and the rook keeps alternating between f4 and h4; while the fortress arising after 4...b2 5.xc2 b1 6.e2 seems just as resistant, e.g. d3 7.e1 d2 8.e4 f7 9.exf6 xf6 10.e5 and this time the rook alternates between g5 and e5 ) 5.fxe5 d7 6.c3 e6 ( or 6...b2 7.xc2 b1 8.f2! with similar play ) 7.xb3 c1 . In order for White’s fortress to work, he must deploy his rook in such a way that Black won’t be able
to approach the white g-pawns with his king, nor create zugzwang. For this purpose it makes sense to use the f-file: 8.f3! xe5 9.f4 g5 (otherwise the rook keeps alternating between f3 and f4) 10.f3 e4 11.f7 ( 11.b3 seems just as possible; e. g. d1 12.f3 d2 13.a3 g4 14.a4+ , followed by 15 Rf4 ) 11...e3 12.f3+ e2 13.f7 c5 14.f3 e7 ( here and later, 14...g4 15.f4 , when the safe square on f3 is replaced with f4 ) 15.g1! a7+ 16.h2 and as far as I can see, Black is unable to progress. By the way, note that White’s extra pawn rules out a queen sacrifice for the rook; e.g. 9...Qxf4! would have been winning were it not for the g2pawn. ] 4.c8+! By driving the enemy king away, Sokolov facilitates the e4-e5 advance, something that will be more evident on move 7. [ Less accurate is 4.xc2?! b1 5.e2 ( or 5.c4 b5 ) 5...d3 6.e1 e7 and Black should win – Vaganian. ] 4...e7 [ After 4...d7 , Black’s king is exposed to a vertical check, which yields White the necessary tempo to realize e4-e5; i.e. 5.xc2 b1 6.d2+! , followed by 7 e5 and the fortress is complete – Vaganian. ] 5.c7+ f8 [ Or 5...f6 6.xc2 b1 7.e5+ f5 8.f2 with the same fortress that later emerges in the game. ] 6.xc2 b1 7.c8+! With Black unable to reply 7...Kd7, White wins a tempo for the realization of e4-e5. e7 8.e5 d3 9.c6 Temporarily restricting the enemy king. [ 9.a8 was possible too, heading for the ffile; e.g. e6 10.a2 e3 (preventing Rf2f3) 11.a1 e2 12.a3! , followed by 13 Rf3. ] 9...e3 10.a6 Sokolov performs the rook transfer mentioned in the previous note. c5 11.a1 e6 12.f1 d5 13.f3 The defensive plan that was initialized by the first diagram is finally complete. White’s next task is to maintain the fortress. c4 14.h1 d4 15.h2 d1 16.f2 d4 17.f3 e4 18.c3 [ Another option is 18.f2 e3 19.f3+ e2 20.c3 , when the rook has a sufficient number of squares on the third rank. If Black’s king moves to f2 or f1, it will be expelled by Rf3+. ]
[ In contrast, 18.a3?! runs into f6! , complicating White’s defence, now that 19.exf6? fails to h5+ 20.g1 c5+ – Vaganian. ] 18...f5 19.f3 The remainder of the game isn’t very thrilling – Sokolov maintains the fortress by king moves or, when necessary, by rook moves in the proximity of the f3-square. d8 20.g1 d5 21.h2 g4 [ On 21...g5 , White replies 22.fxg5+! xg5 23.f4 xe5 24.h4 , followed by Rf4-h4, a kind of fortress that we already came across in the 3...f6!? subline. ] 22.c3 d4 23.f3 f5 24.h1 f6 25.exf6 xf6 26.h2 h8+ 27.g1 e4 28.b3! [ Not 28.f2? d4+ 29.f1 f5 and the fortress has been destroyed; e.g. 30.e2 g1 . ] 28...h5 29.f3 f5 30.h2 d4 31.g1 c5 32.h2 h5+ 33.g1 c4 34.f1! [ Sokolov obviously avoids 34.f2? c5! 35.f1 e3 36.f3 c1+ 37.f2 d4 and, just like in the previous note, the bad position of White’s king means that the fortress is no longer viable. ] 34...c5+ 35.h2 d3 36.f3+ e2 37.h1 c1+ 38.h2 b1 39.c3 . The rook has at least one safe square at its disposal, so a draw was agreed. ½-½
Galojan,L Tsiganova,M European Women's Championship, Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) Black is in trouble, but a little combination based on the motif of a theoretical draw saved her. 1...xf4! [ Not 1...b4? 2.xe6 xf4 3.h5 f5 4.g6+ h7 5.xa4 etc ] [ while 1...xg5?! 2.fxg5 g6 3.d1 ( if 3.e5 , then b3+ 4.a2 g3 ) 3...xg5 would soon have produced a different case of a theoretical draw: rook and bishop vs. rook – Baburin. However, as I mentioned earlier, the defence in such an ending is far from trivial, and even very strong players sometimes go wrong there. ] 2.xf4 b4! The point – White is soon left
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with a lonely bishop. 3.xb4 cxb4+ 4.xb4 g6 . Draw agreed. Incidentally, such an extreme application of the theoretical draw idea, sweeping the mating material from the board, is familiar to us from Example 390 (Nielsen-Sutovsky). ½-½
Seirawan,Y Gelfand,B Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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White is a pawn up and his bishop outranks the knight, but even so Black saved himself without much effort, exploiting the motif of a theoretical draw with the “wrong” bishop and rook’s pawn.
1...e5! Gelfand prepares to take the c6pawn with the king, then return it to the corner, and finally sacrifice his knight for the b-pawn – Golod. 2.f2 d5 3.g3 xc6 4.xg4 d6! 5.d3 [ After 5.f5 e7 6.g6 f8 , the bishop becomes misplaced on h7. ] 5...e7 6.f5 f8 7.e5 b5! Just in time, enabling ...Na6 before White plays 8 Kd6. 8.d4 a6 9.c3 xb4! 10.xb4 g7 11.xb5 h8 12.c5 ½-½
Timman,J Morozevich,A Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
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In this early endgame the initiative is definitely with White, whose immediate threat of Nxe4 can’t be parried by simple means. Morozevich found a practical solution. 1...f7+! [ After 1...e3?! 2.xb7! , both xb7 ( and 2...xb7 3.xe3+ ) 3.c6+ lead to increased difficulties for Black. ] 2.xf7+ xf7 3.xe4 xe4 4.xe4 The picture has changed completely - White is no longer attacking but instead enjoys a material advantage. The reason why Morozevich wanted to reach this ending is simple: if we remove the queenside pawns from the board, then the ensuing position with rook and two pawns against bishop and two pawns is inside the boundaries of a theoretical draw. b5! Forcing the exchange of
the dangerous a4-pawn. 5.e2 bxa4 6.xa4 a5 7.c4 g7 The reason for this particular retreat will become evident two moves later. 8.c7+ g8 9.a7 Timman now plans Kf3g4, followed by h3-h4-h5 with an unpleasant situation for Black: if he permits h5-h6, then the h7-pawn is fixed as a weakness; besides, a back-rank mate will be in the air once the white king arrives at e6. On the other hand, if he replies ...g6xh5, then after Kxh5 and g5-g6 at the right moment, White would have winning chances in the ensuing rook vs. bishop ending, considering that Black’s king is located in one of the “wrong” corners. h6! A key decision. By giving up the a-pawn, which has no relevance anyway for the theoretical draw involved, Morozevich finishes off the enemy plan in advance. 10.gxh6 [ After 10.h4 hxg5 11.hxg5 , the deployment of the bishop on the long diagonal will prevent the white king from reaching the crucial f6-square; e.g. c3 12.d3 g7 13.xa5 f7 14.e4 c3 15.a7+ g8 16.d5 g7 17.e6 c3 with an easy draw, since the bishop will never run out of squares on the long diagonal. The attempt to sacrifice the rook by 18.f7 b2 19.f6 is simply met by g7 . ] 10...xh6 11.xa5 g7 12.f3 c3 13.a7 b2 14.e4 [ If 14.g4 , then f6 15.h4 ( or 15.b7 f8! , losing a tempo ) 15...f8! 16.h5 gxh5+ 17.xh5 e8 and the king moves over to one of the “right” corners on a8. ] 14...c3 15.d5 b2 16.e6 c3 17.d7 Timman prepares a frontal attack at g6, but this will let Black’s king approach the h4-pawn. Nevertheless, there was no other way of making progress. b2 18.d2 c3 19.g2 g7 20.g4 b2! [ Morozevich of course avoids 20...h6? 21.f7 with increased winning chances for White. ] After the text Timman instead agreed to a draw. Let’s make a few more moves: 21.h4 h6! Now it is right to activate the king, in view of the threat of 22 h5. 22.f7 h5 23.xg6 xh4 24.e6 h3 This time the king is heading for the other safe corner on h1. 25.d5 h2 26.e4 h1 27.g5 [ After 27.f3 e5 , the bishop assists successfully in the defence; e.g. 28.f2 c7 29.g1+ ( 29.h6+ h2 makes no sense ) 29...h2 30.g7 b6+ . ]
27...a3! Having been denied the e5-square, the bishop instead tries to reach the h2-b8 diagonal via d6. 28.f3 [ 28.d5 g2 doesn’t achieve much; e.g. 29.d2+ h1 30.f3 c5! and the bishop finds the corresponding diagonal. ] 28...d6 29.f2 c7 . We saw a similar position in the 27 Kf3 subline. Thanks to the location of the king in one of the safe corners and the deployment of the bishop on the h2b8 diagonal, Black draws. ½-½
Hellsten,J Granda Zuniga,J Santa Cruz [Johan Hellsten] a
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In endings with pawns on both flanks, an extra exchange tends to be decisive. The defensive efforts of the minor piece are usually surpassed by the rook’s mobility and attacking ability, a fact of which we saw proof in Example 231 (Matanovic-Larsen). However, on occasion the defender can look for a transposition to a theoretical draw, and this is what the above position is about. 1...g1? A natural move in order to win a pawn, but it has a big flaw. [ 1...c2? is equally bad due to 2.d3 g1 3.g5+! e7 ( or 3...hxg5 4.fxg5+ xg5 5.xc2 with a kind of theoretical draw that we recognize from the previous example ) 4.xc2 h5 5.e3 h4 6.f2 , neutralizing the h-pawn after both g4 ( and 6...a1 7.f5 ) 7.f3 g3+ 8.f2 . ]
[ Instead, the prophylactic 1...e7! was called for, avoiding g4-g5 with check. There can follow 2.d3 ( here and on the next move, 2.g5 is strongly met by h5! ) 2...g1 3.xc3 xg4 4.d4 xf4+ 5.e3 . Interestingly, there do exist theoretical draws where a bishop fights against a rook and a rook’s pawn, but for that to happen the (black) pawn should already be on the third rank (occasionally the fourth is enough); besides, the defender should have the “right” bishop. Here neither condition is met as the colour of White’s bishop makes h1 a “wrong” corner for the king. Thus Black could win in several ways, for example by cutting off the enemy king before pushing the pawn: f5 6.c2 ( or 6.d1 h5 7.f3 g5 8.f4 f6 with similar play ) 6...g5 7.f4 f6 8.d1 h5 9.e2 h4 10.g4 g8! (the rook is waiting to settle on g3) 11.h3 ( or 11.f3 e5 12.d7 g3+ 13.f2 f4 with h4-h3-h2 and ...Rg1 to follow ) 11...g3 12.g4 a3 13.f3 h3 14.d5 ( if 14.g3 , then h2 ) 14...h2 15.c6 a1 . ] 2.g5+! White of course exploits the moment to take the black h-pawn off the board. hxg5 3.fxg5+ xg5 The rook prepares to defend the pawn from behind. [ After 3...xg5?! 4.d3 g3+ 5.d4 , followed by Bc2-d3, White draws on the spot. ] 4.d3 c5 [ Thanks to 4...c5 5.c4? xc4 ( or 5...c2 , the pawn has been secured. )] 5.c2 [ 5.c2 was perfectly possible, placing the king on the correct square right from the beginning – more about this soon. ] 5...e5 6.b3 d6 The only way for the king to approach the pawn. 7.c2 c6 Tired after a long fight (we were already beyond move 80), while supposing, as did my opponent, that the battle would be over once Black’s king replaces the rook in the defence of the pawn, here I resigned! A few weeks later I discovered, to my horror, the similarities between this endgame and the old encounter L.Szabo-M.Botvinnik, Budapest 1952, which I had recently touched upon in my endgame classes. Let’s make a few more moves to familiarize ourselves with the defensive plan: 8.a4+ b6 9.c2 The king should stay here until Black gives check on the second
rank, upon which it retreats to c1. a5 10.e8 b4 11.g6! The right place for the bishop, on the long diagonal of the pawn. g5 12.e4! Temporarily preventing 12...Rg2+. [ In contrast, after 12.h7? g2+ 13.c1 b3 , Black wins. A must for the defence is to give check when the black king settles on b3 – here the bad move 12 Bh7? made that impossible. ] 12...h5 [ Or 12...c4 13.d3+ d4 14.h7 g2+ 15.c1 c4 16.f5! b3 17.e6+ etc. ] 13.g6 [ Not 13.d3? h2+ 14.c1 b3 . ] 13...h2+ 14.c1 c2 [ Seeing that 14...b3 15.f7+ leads nowhere, Black makes a more astute try. ] 15.b2! A key reply. [ In contrast, 15.xc2? loses to c3 ; e.g. 16.e4 e2 17.f3 e1+ 18.d1 f1 . ] 15...c1+ There is nothing better. 16.xc1 c3 17.b1! Heading for the safe corner on a1. A draw is inevitable; [ e.g. 17.b1 b2+ 18.a1 g2 19.f5 b3 20.e6+ a3 21.f5 . Incidentally, note that this theoretical draw wouldn’t have worked if the pawn had not yet advanced to the third (sixth for a white pawn) rank – in that case, the stronger side wins in “king first!” fashion, transferring the king to c3 and expelling White’s king with the rook before advancing the pawn. Neither would White be able to draw if he had a dark-squared bishop instead – that bishop only works against the f-pawn, as you can find out yourself. ] 0-1
Back to Contents Page
Exercises The following exercises are presented in approximate order of difficulty. Many of them are rather simple, but solving them will prove useful in the process of mastering the involved strategic ideas, and their subsequent application over the board. In most cases I ask for a concrete continuation, while on occasion you should detect the flaw of a specific move, or indicate an initial move together with an associated plan or intention. Note that a “plan” can be simply “avoid the exchange of rooks”, “prevent e6-e5” etc, referring to some key action supported by the move in question. The time needed to solve these exercises should vary between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on the difficulty of the exercise and the level of the reader. Click this link to start the exercises; then press F11 repeatedly to continue through. 1. King Themes (exercises 1-24) start here 2. Pawn Themes (exercises 25-60) start here 3. Rook Themes (exercises 61-96) start here 4. Minor Piece Themes (exercises 97-120) start here 5. Queen Themes (exercises 121-132) start here 6. Miscellaneous Themes (exercises 133-168) start here 7. Exchanges (exercises 169-204) start here 8. Classical Themes (exercises 205-240) start here Back to Contents Page
Zwettler,M Loidl,F Ybbs [Johan Hellsten] a
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2.d5 xf2 and a draw was agreed. ] 1...f3 [ Or 1...f4 2.xg4 . ] 2.e5 xf2 3.f4 . White wins – Müller. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 1 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gashimov,V Postny,E German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 2 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rxd4+ here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.d6! King first! [ Instead, the game went 1.xf5+? f3!
Gashimov,V Postny,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...xd4+?? Forgetting about a later opposition trick. [ Any rook move, such as 1...g2 , made a draw. ] 2.xd4 b5 3.c3 a4 4.b5! [ In view of 4.b5! xb5 5.b3 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Wang Yue Dominguez Perez,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Wang Yue Dominguez Perez,L Sofia [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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. Position 3 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1.d3! Preparing the obstruction of Black’s king. [ Instead, the game went 1.b5? e1 2.xe1 and draw agreed, in view of xe1 3.b6 g3 etc. ] 1...e1 2.xe1 xe1 3.e3! f1 4.f4 . White wins – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 4 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 4 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Damljanovic,B Byrne,R New York Open [Johan Hellsten]
1987
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position 4 continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.a4! On the theme of the king’s route. b4 2.b6 xa4 [ After 2...d4 3.a5 , both players queen. ] 3.c5 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 5 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Damljanovic,B Byrne,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...g4! Preparing the obstruction of White’s king.
[ Instead, the game went 1...h4? 2.c6 g4 3.d5 g3 4.e4 g2 5.b1 g3 6.e3 and Black resigned, in view of h2 7.f2 . ] 2.c6 f4 3.d5 g4! Draw; [ e.g. 3...g4 4.d4 g3 5.d3 g2 6.b1 f3! – Benko. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Graf,A Semeniuk,A USSR Army Championship, Khabarovsk [Johan Hellsten]
1990
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. Position 6 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Graf,A Semeniuk,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
. (press F11 for the next exercise)
Titz,H Zsifkovits,R Austrian Championship, Zwettl [Johan Hellsten] a
1.g5! Creating a shelter. [ Obviously, 1.g7?? g2 was less to the point. ] 1...hxg5 2.g7 The threat of f6-f7 proves decisive. f2 3.f6 g4 4.f7+ d8 5.f8+ xf8 6.xf8 g3 7.g7 . Black resigned.
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(Diagramme)
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. Position 7 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Titz,H Zsifkovits,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e4! King first! [ Instead, the game went 1.xf4? h4 2.e4 h3 3.f3+ g2 4.e3 h2 5.f2+ g1 and a draw was agreed. ] 1...f3 [ Or 1...h4 2.b3+ f3 3.xf3+ g2 4.f4 h3 5.g3+ etc – Baburin. ] 2.e3 f2 3.f4 h4 4.f3+! g2 5.xf2+ g3 6.f8 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Turner,M Tjoelsen,K Tromso [Johan Hellsten]
2009
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Turner,M Tjoelsen,K continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 8 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rxf7 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
1...xf7! Black agrees to a pawn ending, seeing that she can soon take the opposition. 2.e4 xf5 3.xf5 f7! [ Of course not 3...e7? 4.e5 and White wins. ] 4.e5 c4! [ Draw agreed, in view of 4...c4 5.dxc4 e7 .] [ But not 4...e7? 5.d5 c4 6.xc4! – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Short,N Ni Hua London [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 9 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rxe2 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
Short,N Ni Hua continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Kotronias,V Berczes,D Stockholm [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...xe2! Black accepts the pawn ending, seeing that he can defend himself by
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opposition. 2.xe2 b5 3.d2 e6! 4.d1 [ Black’s previous move had the merit of preparing to meet 4.d3 by d5 ] [ and 4.e3 with e5 . ] 4...d5 5.c2 d6 6.d2 e6 7.e3 e5 8.d3 d5 9.c4+ bxc4+ 10.c3 c6 11.xc4 b6 . A draw was soon agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 10 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Kotronias,V Berczes,D continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...d6! On the topic of the king’s route. [ In contrast, 1...d5? 2.h4 ] [ or 1...d7? 2.g6 wins for White – Baburin. ] 2.g6 e5!
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Al Modiahki,M Bartel,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ But not 2...e6? 3.h4! . ] 3.xg7 [ Draw agreed, in view of 3.xg7 f5 4.h4 g4 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Al Modiahki,M Bartel,M Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...h3! Creating a shelter for the king on g3. [ The immediate 1...g3?! 2.a3+ is less convincing. ] 2.gxh3+ [ Or 2.h2 xg2+ 3.h1 e2 4.a8 f3 5.g8+ f4 6.f8+ e3 7.h8 e1+ 8.h2 f2 and wins – Müller. ] 2...g3! 3.a1 [ Now, in contrast, 3.a3+ fails to f3 , so White hurries to prevent the mate. ] 3...h2+! An intermediate check that prevents a check on g1. [ Also possible is 3...f3 4.g1+ xh3 5.a1 h2+ 6.g1 g3 . ] 4.g1 f3 5.a3! b2! [ Side-stepping the trick 5...xh3? 6.a2! h8 7.g2+ f4 8.g7 etc. ] 6.a1 g2+ 7.h1 h2+ [ In view of 7...h2+ 8.g1 f2+ 9.f1 h1+ 10.e2 xa1 , White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 11 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Mikkelsen,N Nithander,V Lund [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2006
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Orejuela,P Jaramillo,K Macas [Johan Hellsten]
. Position 12 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Mikkelsen,N Nithander,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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2.f4 d5! In the same spirit of “king first”. [ Instead, the game went 2...b5? 3.h4 xa5? ( Black could still win with 3...h1 4.g4 c5 5.h5 d6 ) 4.h5 d4+ 5.e5 g4? ( this even loses, whereas 5...h4 6.h6 b6 7.f6 a5 led to a draw ) 6.g6 b4 7.f5! g1 8.h6 a5 9.g7 a4 10.h7 xg7 11.h8 and White was winning. ] 3.f5 f1+! A good intermediate check to release White’s obstruction. 4.g6 h1 5.f7 xh3 6.g6 f3+ 7.e7 g3 8.f7 c5 9.g7 b5 10.g8 xg8 11.xg8 xa5 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 13 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...c4! Heading for the key battlefield: the kingside. [ Also good is 1...g1+ 2.f4 c4 3.h4 h1! 4.g4 d5 5.h5 e5 in similar fashion. ] [ In contrast, 1...b4?! 2.h4 xa5 3.h5 b4 4.g6 a5 5.f4 is less convincing. ]
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Orejuela,P Jaramillo,K continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1.e2! The right square in order to gain the opposition later on. [ Instead, the game went 1.d2? d4 2.e2 e3! 3.fxe3+ e4 4.d2 f3 5.d3 e5 6.d2 e4 7.e1 xe3 and White resigned. ] 1...d4 2.d2 e3+ 3.fxe3+ e4 4.e2 e5 5.d2 f3 6.d3 g3 [ Of course not 6...e4+? 7.d4 . ] 7.e4 xh3 8.xe5 xg4 9.e4 h5 [ Or 9...f3 10.d5! ( but not 10.f5? g4 11.e5 g3 12.e6 g2 13.e7 g1 14.e8 g5+ , forcing the exchange of queens. )] 10.f6 h4 11.e5 h3 12.e6 h2 13.e7 h1 14.e8 . With good drawing chances. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Shirov,A Areshchenko,A Foros [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 14 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rxb5 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
2006
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Shirov,A Areshchenko,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...xb5? A bad choice, since the ensuing pawn ending is drawn by opposition. [ Instead, after 1...e7 2.c6 d6 3.e8 b1 , Black was winning – Baburin. ] 2.axb5 f5 3.d3! xf4 4.d4 From now on, White holds by applying different types of opposition. g5 5.e5 h6 6.d4! h7 7.d5 h8 8.d4 g8 9.e4 f8 10.d4 f7 11.d5 g7 12.e5 h6 13.d4 h7 14.d5 [ Equally possible is 14.d3 – Baburin. Note the movements of White’s king to squares of
the same colour as Black’s. ] 14...g8 15.e4 f8 16.d4 f7 17.d5 f6 18.d4 g5 19.e5 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bronstein,D Botvinnik,M World Championship, Moscow (6) [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 15 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Bronstein,D Botvinnik,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1...g3! The right route to f2. [ In contrast, after 1...f3? 2.f7 e2 3.e5+ f2 4.d3+ f1 5.b3 , White makes a draw. ] 2.e6 e2 It transpires that, with the king on g2, there are no knight checks. 3.d2 f2 . Black wins. In fact Bronstein already resigned after 1...Kg3. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Ipatov,A Vajda,L Golden Sands (analysis) [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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. Position 16 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rxf6 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
Ipatov,A Vajda,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...xf6! A good choice – in the ensuing rook vs. pawn ending Black defends by means of obstruction. 2.a6+ xc5 3.xf6 c4! The key move. [ Of course not 3...a2? 4.a6 . ] 4.a6 b3 5.d3 b2! 6.b6+ c1 . Draw – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 17 Averbakh,Y [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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position 17 Averbakh,Y continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 17 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.g7! King first! [ In contrast, after 1.c5? g4 2.h7 g3 3.h6 g4! 4.g6 e4 , Black wins. ] 1...g4 2.h6! g3 3.h5 g2 4.c5 f4 5.h4 f3 6.h3 e4 7.h2 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
[ e.g. 3.f6 d8 4.d6 e8 5.e6 f8 6.f7 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
position 18 Pogosiants,E [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 18 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. Position 19 (Black to play) Here Black played 1...gxh5. To what result does 2 gxh5 lead? Or 2 Kxh5 - ? And was there anything better than 1...gxh5 - ? . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 18 Pogosiants,E continued [Johan Hellsten] a
Brito,D Pasto,J Guayaquil [Johan Hellsten]
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1.c6! Preparing to give up a pawn in order to obtain the opposition. d8 2.d5! xd7 3.f6 White wins;
Brito,D Pasto,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...gxh5? This exchange vacates the g4square for White’s king. [ Correct was 1...e4! 2.g3 ( or 2.g5 hxg5+ 3.xg5 gxh5 etc ) 2...gxh5 3.gxh5 e3 and the opposition decides; e.g. 4.g4 f2 5.f5 e3 . ] 2.gxh5! [ Instead, the game saw 2.xh5? e4 3.g5 hxg5 4.xg5 f3! and the king’s raid
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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Voekler,B Tischbierek,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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proved decisive after 5.f5 e4! 6.fxe6 fxe6 7.f6 d5 . ] 2...e4 [ Or 2...e3 3.g3 . ] 3.g4 e3 4.g3 White keeps the opposition: draw. [ But not 4.f5? e4! and Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Voekler,B Tischbierek,R German Cup [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...g4! Creating a shelter for the king. 2.hxg4 [ Instead, the game went 2.c5 b1+ 3.f1 xf3 4.hxg4 g3 5.c2 h3 6.g5 g2 and White resigned. ] 2...g3 3.f1 xf3 4.a3 b1 5.g5 h3 6.a2 d5 [ Also good is 6...g2 7.a3+ h4 – Baburin. ] 7.c2 c1! Securing the c4-square for the bishop. 8.d2 c4 9.f2 h2+ 10.xh2 xf1# . . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bologan,V Dizdarevic,E Sarajevo [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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. Position 20 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves)
. Position 21 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2004
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. (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Barcza,G Portisch,L Hungarian Championship, Budapest [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 22 (Black to play) Here Black played 1...Kd2 and, after 2 Kb3!, the game later ended in a draw. Would 1... Kb2 have won? . (press F11 for the solution)
Barcza,G Portisch,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1...d7! Preparing a later opposition. [ Instead, the game went 1...e8? 2.e6! and Black resigned in view of d8 3.d6 c8 4.xc6 b8 5.d7 – Müller. ] [ 1...d8? 2.d6 is just as bad. ] 2.f6 d8 3.e6 c7 4.e7 c8! 5.d6 d8 6.xc6 c8 The opposition saves Black. 7.d6 d8 8.c6 c8 9.c7 . Stalemate. Note that without the a-pawns on the board, the initial position would be an easy win for White.
1...b2! Black has calculated that he can win by obstruction later on. 2.d6 [ 2.-- ] 2...a2 3.xa2 xa2 4.d5 b3 5.e6 c4 6.d7 xd7+ 7.xd7 d5! The key move, in similar style to Example 26 (Pritchett-Kagan). 8.e7 e5 9.f7 f5! 10.g7 h4! 11.gxh4 h5 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Chiburdanidze,M Alexandria,N continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Chiburdanidze,M Alexandria,N World Women's Ch., Georgia (analysis) (9) [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 23 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (7-8 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...f2+! Preparing a king’s raid. 2.c6 d4! 3.b1 c4 4.b5 b4 5.b6 a5 6.b7 g3 7.d3 h2 Draw; [ e.g. 7...h2 8.d7 b6 9.c8 a7 etc – Dvoretsky. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Gligoric,S Euwe,M Zurich Candidates (analysis) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 24 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (9-10 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1953
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Karjakin,S Morozevich,A FIDE Grand Prix, Tashkent [Johan Hellsten]
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Gligoric,S Euwe,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
[ Obviously, 8...xf5 9.xh7 ] [ or 8...xh6 9.f6 is just as bad for Black. ] 9.xh7 f7 10.f6! . A final sacrifice. White wins. . (End of Chapter One; press F11 for the next exercise)
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1.d7! Aiming at a king’s raid via e8-f8, with the upper f-pawn as a bait for Black’s king. f7 2.d8 f8 [ Or 2...xf6 3.e8 , transposing. ] 3.f7! xf7 4.d7! Opposition. Incidentally, with White to move again it is a draw. f6 [ White also wins after 4...g6 5.e6 xh6 6.f5 ] [ or 4...f8 5.e6 e8 6.f6 f8 7.f5! . ] 5.e8 e6 [ Or 5...f5 6.f7 xf4 7.g7 etc. ] 6.f8 f6 7.g8 g6 8.f5+! f6
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. Position 25 (Black to play) Between 1...Rc7+ and 1...bxa6, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Karjakin,S Morozevich,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...c7+? This lets White decide the battle by creating a powerful pair of connected passed pawns. [ Correct was 1...bxa6 2.bxa6 a7! 3.b5+ h6 4.a5 h4 5.gxh4 g3 6.b5 g2 7.a1 h5 with a draw – Baburin. ] 2.c6! bxc6 3.b6 c8 4.b7 b8 5.c5 h4
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Tzermiadianos,A Iuldachev,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
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6.a7 xb7 7.a8 h7 8.g8+ h6 9.gxh4 . White soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Tzermiadianos,A Iuldachev,S Al-Ain [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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. Position 26 (White to play) Why was 1 Ke2 a mistake? . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e2?? [ 1.-- ] 1...xf3 2.xf3 b5! A decisive breakthrough. 3.e4 bxa4 4.d3 axb4 5.cxb4 b6 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Timman,J Hellsten,J Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
1997
(Diagramme) . Position 27 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 28 [Johan Hellsten]
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Timman,J Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 28 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.xg6 [ 1.-- ] 1...fxg6 2.h8+! Transposing to a pawn ending where Black’s deficient pawn majority implies an easy win for White. f7 3.h7+ f6 4.xe7+ xe7 5.c2 d6 6.d3 e5 7.e4 h5 8.g3 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 28 continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...g5! The candidate first. [ In contrast, after 1...h5?? 2.h4! e6 3.c5 , White even wins; e.g. bxc5+ 4.xc5 g5 5.b6 d7 6.hxg5 h4 7.b7 c7 8.g6 h3 9.g7 h2 10.b8+! xb8 11.g8+ . ]
2.e4 h5 [ But not 2...c5? 3.f5 xc4 4.xg5 xb5 5.h6 c4 6.xh7 b5 7.h4 b4 8.h5 b3 9.h6 b2 10.g8 b1 11.h7 with a draw. ] 3.f5 g4 4.hxg4 hxg4 5.xg4 c5 Black wins; [ e.g. 5...c5 6.f3 xc4 7.e3 xb5 8.d3 a4 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Lema,A Adriano,A Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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[ Instead, the game went 2.gxh5? gxh5 3.h4? ( correct was 3.f3 , followed by Ke3f3 ) 3...f5 4.f3 a6 5.a3 b6 6.b3 a5 7.c4 ( or 7.a4 b5 ) 7...a4! 8.cxd5 axb3 and Black soon prevailed. ] 2...f7 [ Even worse is 2...gxf5 3.gxh5 , followed by 4 Kf4. ] 3.fxg6+ xg6 4.gxh5+ xh5 [ Or 4...g5!? 5.h6 xh6 6.f4 etc. ] 5.f4 g6 6.h4 . The outside passed pawn decides. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 29 (Black to play) Between 1...f5 and 1...h5, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Leko,P Ivanchuk,V Morelia/Linares [Johan Hellsten]
2006
(Diagramme) . Position 30 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Lema,A Adriano,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...h5? This permits a decisive breakthrough. [ 1...f5 was much better, securing a draw. ] 2.f5+!
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Hoi,C Hellsten,J Denmark vs. Sweden, Skaenninge [Johan Hellsten]
1998
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Leko,P Ivanchuk,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 31 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.g3! With the simple idea of f2-f4, securing the protected passed pawn on d6. Here Black resigned; let’s see a possible continuation: e6 2.f4 gxf4 3.gxf4 f6 4.e2 fxe5 [ Or 4...g5 5.fxg5 fxe5 6.g6 etc. ] 5.fxe5 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Hoi,C Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...e4! Preparing the creation of a passed pawn.
[ 1...xh3? 2.d6 was less to the point. ] 2.g4 fxg4 3.hxg4 h5! 4.f5 [ After 4.gxh5 gxh5 , the h-pawn becomes very dangerous, so White opts for counterplay. ] 4...exf5! [ In the game I erred with 4...h4? and after 5.fxg6 e8 6.c4! g5 ( or 6...h3 7.d6+! ) 7.d2 f8 8.d7 , White later saved a draw. ] 5.gxf5 gxf5 6.d5 h4 7.f4 g5! Black wins; [ e.g. 7...g5 8.d3 ( or 8.e6 h3 9.d6 e4+ 10.e5 h2 ) 8...h3 9.f2 h2 10.d5 e4! 11.h1 e7 12.d4 e6 13.e3 xe5 14.f3 f4 15.g2 g3 – Hecht. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Andersson,U Sadler,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1995
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. Position 32 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Andersson,U Sadler,M Malmo [Johan Hellsten]
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1.a4! Softening up Black’s queenside pawns, after which the protected passed pawn on e5 should take its toll. [ 1.b4 first is also okay. ] 1...e7 2.b4 axb4 [ Or 2...e6 3.bxa5 bxa5 4.c5 d7 5.b6 etc – Ftacnik. ] 3.xb4 e6 4.a5 [ In view of 4.a5 bxa5+ 5.xa5 d5 6.b4 c5+ 7.b3! c4+ 8.c3 c5 9.e6 d6 10.xc4 xe6 11.c5 etc, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Averbakh,Y Bebchuk,E Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1964
(Diagramme) . Position 33 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Sutovsky,E Smirin,I Tel Aviv [Johan Hellsten]
1999
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Averbakh,Y Bebchuk,E continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 34 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e4! Preparing a decisive breakthrough. c6 2.e5 fxe5 [ Or 2...d5 3.e6 and the protected passed pawn decides. ] 3.g5 hxg5 [ If 3...d6 , then 4.f6! anyway. ] 4.f6! [ In view of 4.f6 gxf6 5.h5 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Sutovsky,E Smirin,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...xg5! A clever move which leaves the bishop helpless against the three passed
pawns. 2.xg5 a3 3.d2 a2 4.c3 h5! [ In view of 4...h5 5.e5 h4 6.f4 g5+ 7.xg5 ( or 7.g4 e6 , heading for b1 ) 7...h3 8.e5 h2 , White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Vachev,V Radulski,J Plovdiv [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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. Position 35 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Vachev,V Radulski,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
position 36 [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) 1...a4! The bishop helps in a decisive breakthrough. 2.bxa4 [ Or 2.d1 xb3 and the a-pawn decides. ] 2...b3 [ In view of 2...b3 3.axb3 b2 , White resigned – 'Chess Today'. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 36 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
position 36 continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1...d4! The right square in view of the coming pawn race. [ In contrast, 1...f3? 2.g5 e3 3.g6 e2 4.g7 e1 5.g8 e4+ 6.f6 h4+ 7.e5 f4+ 8.d5 leads to a draw. ] 2.g5 e3 3.g6 e2 4.g7 e1 5.g8 f1+ 6.g6 [ Or 6.e6 c4+ . ] 6...g2+ 7.h7 xg8+ 8.xg8 c3 Black wins; [ e.g. 8...c3 9.f7 b2 10.a4 a3 11.a5 a4 12.a6 a5 13.e6 xa6 14.d5 b5 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Karjakin,S Gelfand,B Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
2012
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Karjakin,S Gelfand,B continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 37 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1...g2! Transposing to a pawn ending where two pawns will stop three. [ 1...b4? 2.f5! was less to the point. ] 2.xg6+ xg6 3.xg2 b4! [ In view of 3...b4 4.f3 f5 , followed by ... h6-h5-h4, White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Kasparov,G Vukic,M European Team Championship, Skara [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 38 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. Position 39 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (7-8 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 39 [Johan Hellsten]
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Kasparov,G Vukic,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
[ In view of 2.d1 xd1 3.xd1 c5 ( or 3...d6 4.g5 fxg5 5.fxg5 e7 6.gxh6 f8 7.b4 g8 8.b5 h7 9.bxa6 bxa6 10.c5 etc ) 4.g5! fxg5 5.fxg5 hxg5 6.h6 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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1.xf6! Launching a little breakthrough combination. gxf6 2.d1!
position 39 continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...e5! Black accepts the pawn race. 2.f3 d4 3.g4 c3 4.xh4 xb3 5.g5 xc4! The key move, which prepares a breakthrough with the b-pawn in order to queen on b1 instead of a1. [ After 5...xa4?? 6.h4 , only White queens. ] 6.h4 b5 7.h5 [ After 7.axb5? a4 , only Black queens. ] 7...b4! 8.h6 b3 9.h7 b2 10.h8 b1 . With a sound extra pawn and more active
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Esquivel,E Llamuca,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
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pieces, Black is winning. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Esquivel,E Llamuca,H Azogues [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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1...f7? A bad choice, since in the ensuing pawn ending, White’s outside passed pawn will play a decisive role. [ Much better was 1...d7 , cutting off the enemy king; e.g. 2.f5?! e4 3.h5 e3! 4.xh6+ e5 etc. ] 2.xf7 xf7 3.d2 g6 4.h4! b5 5.e3 f6 6.e4 c5 7.g5+ hxg5 8.hxg5+ . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Makarichev,S Averbakh,Y Lvov [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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. Position 40 (Black to play) Between 1...Rf7 and 1...Rd7, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
. Position 41 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Benalcazar,D Ruiz,F Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2010
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Makarichev,S Averbakh,Y continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 42 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...g4! A decisive breakthrough. 2.hxg4 [ Or 2.fxg4 f3! 3.gxf3 xh3 4.g5+ g3 5.g6 d4 and the h-pawn decides. ] 2...h3 3.gxh3 xf3 4.g5 g3 5.g6 d4 6.h4 f3 7.h5 g7 8.e1 f2+ [ In view of 8...f2+ 9.f1 f3 , followed by ...Ke3-d2, White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Benalcazar,D Ruiz,F continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...bxa3! Preparing the creation of a passed pawn.
[ Instead, the game saw 1...c3? 2.axb4+! xb4 3.bxc3+ xc3 4.d7 d8 5.d6 and White went on to win. ] 2.bxa3 c3 3.d1 c2 [ Even 3...c4!? seems playable. ] 4.c1 xd6 5.xc2 . With an equal game. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Kotronias,V Berg,E European Team Championship, Heraklio 2007 [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 43 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Kotronias,V Berg,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
1...xe5! Creating a powerful pair of connected passed pawns. [ 1...xb2? 2.f6! would have been a big mistake – Berg. ] 2.xb7 d4 3.g4 [ Or 3.xa7 xb2 with similar play. ] 3...f4! 4.g5 e5 5.f7+ e3 6.xa7 d3
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7.f5 e4 8.g6 xb2 9.g7 f2+! 10.e6 g2 11.f7 d2 . Black soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 44 [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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. Position 44 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
position 44 continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...a4! One pawn stops two. [ In contrast, after 1...f5? 2.b4! axb4 3.axb4 xf4 4.b5 e5 5.b6! , White wins. ] 2.d4 [ After 2.c3 f5 3.b4 ( or 3.b4 d4! ) 3...axb3 4.xb3 d4 5.a4 e4 6.c6 bxc6 7.a5 d3 8.a6 e3 , the ensuing queen ending is won for Black ] [ while 2.e3 f5 3.f3 d4 4.g3 e4 also wins for him. ] 2...f5 3.xd5 xf4 4.d6 e4! 5.c7 d5 . The f-pawn decides matters. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Diemer,EJ Pfeiffer,G West German Championship, Berlin [Johan Hellsten]
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Diemer,EJ Pfeiffer,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1950
(Diagramme) . Position 45 (White to play) Between 1 Kd4 and 1 Nc3, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
1.d4? A bad choice as Black is allowed to transpose to a pawn ending where the outside passed pawn will be great asset. [ Correct was 1.c3 xc4 2.e4+ , followed by 3 Nxg5, with chances of a draw – 'Schach'. ] 1...xd5 2.cxd5 a6! An accurate waiting move. [ In the same spirit, 2...g6 also works ] [ but not 2...a5? 3.c4 a4 4.b4 with a draw. ] 3.b3
[ Both 3.b4 a5 ] [ and 3.e4 a5 4.d4 b5 lead to similar consequences. ] 3...g6 4.c4 [ Or 4.b4 a5! . ] 4...e5! 5.b4 d6 6.d4 a5! . Black soon wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Rowson,J Knott,S British Championship, Great Yarmouth [Johan Hellsten]
2007
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. Position 46 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Rowson,J Knott,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
. (press F11 for the next exercise)
Pasto,J Parra,P Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
1.f4! Creating a second passed pawn. [ Both 1.f3? xf3 ] [ and 1.c4?! f3 were less productive. ] 1...exf3 2.f2! . There follows 3 Kxh5, with an easy win.
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(Diagramme)
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. Position 47 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Pasto,J Parra,P continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c4! Heading for the opposite flank in outside passed pawn fashion. [ Instead, the game went 1.a4? xf6 2.b4 , when h5! would have yielded Black good winning chances. ] 1...xf6 [ Now, in contrast, 1...h5 fails to 2.gxh5 g4 3.d3 . As a result, Black has to accept the fact that one pawn stops three. ] 2.d5 e7 3.b4 d7 4.b5 c7 5.c5! [ The tempting 5.e5 fails to b6 6.f6 xb5 7.xf7 h5! and draws. ] 5...b7 6.b6 b8 7.c6 c8 8.b7+ b8 9.b6 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
(Diagramme) . Position 48 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1975
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Andersson,U Larsen,B continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Andersson,U Larsen,B Stockholm (match) (4) [Johan Hellsten]
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1.e5! White hurries to create a passed pawn. [ Less clear is 1.d7?! g4! 2.xd6 h4 etc. ] 1...h4! [ More tenacious than 1...dxe5+ 2.xe5 with twin threats of Rxg5 and d5-d6. ] 2.gxh4 f4+ 3.e3 xh4 4.exd6 h6 5.d4! [ Also possible is 5.d7 d6 6.d4 f6 7.e3 xd7 8.c5 . ] 5...xd6 6.c5 d8 7.d6 f6 8.c6 g4 9.e3 g5 10.d7 f5 11.e8 xd7 12.xd7 f4 13.e6 f3 14.f8 h4 15.f4!
. Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Shaposhnikov,E Berg,E Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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Shaposhnikov,E Berg,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.e3! Preparing a timely breakthrough with f3-f4-f5. b5 [ Passive defence also fails; e.g. 1...c7 2.d3 c6 3.c3 c7 4.b3 b7 5.a4 c6 6.f4 c7 7.b5 b7 8.f5! and White wins. ] 2.cxb5+ xb5 3.f4! c6 4.f5! [ In view of 4.f5 d7 ( neither would 4...gxf5 5.g6; or 4...exf5 5.e6 have saved him ) 5.fxg6 fxg6 6.d3 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Ponce,A Calderon,J Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
h
. Position 49 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. Position 50 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Ponce,A Calderon,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...c5! Intending ...Kc7-c6 and ...b7-b5 in order to realize the pawn majority. 2.a3 c7 3.bc1 c6 4.c2 [ If 4.b4 , then b5! 5.bxc5 a5 , followed by ...b5-b4. ] 4...a5 5.g4 d5 6.e2 b5 7.e6 fxe6 8.xe6+ 8d6 9.de1 c3! 10.xd6+ xd6 11.e2 d3+ 12.g2 d4 . Preparing ...Kd5 and c5-c4. Black went on to win. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Almasi,Z Petrik,T Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 51 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2012
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Almasi,Z Petrik,T continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...e4! Betting on the passed pawn. [ Instead, the game saw 1...e3? 2.e6 xg3 3.c6 f3 4.d6 f6+ 5.xe5 f7 6.c8 , preparing d6-d7, and White went on to win. ] 2.d7 h7 [ But not 2...e3? 3.g6 f8 4.d6 – Baburin. ] 3.d6 e3 4.e4 g6 5.f3 e1 6.a7 f6 7.d7 d1 [ 7...e7 8.d8+! xd8 9.xg7 is less convincing. ]
8.xe3 g6 . Black is okay – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Hellsten,J Adler,B Sollentuna [Johan Hellsten] a
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1995
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Hellsten,J Adler,B continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Pillsbury,H Gunsberg,I Hastings [Johan Hellsten]
h
. Position 52 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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(Diagramme) 1.e6! One of the passed pawns is sacrificed to enhance the advance of its colleague. [ In the same spirit, 1.d5 d1+ 2.e6 c1 3.e5! is also good. ] 1...xc5 2.e5 c1 3.d2 h1 4.f7 With Black’s king on the long side of the pawn, the rest is easy. h7+ 5.g6 h1 6.e6 f1 7.e7 e1 8.f7 f1+ 9.e8 e1 10.c2+ [ In view of the bridge after 10.c2+ b7 11.c4 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
. Position 53 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Pillsbury,H Gunsberg,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c6! d6 2.fxe6! xc6 [ Or 2...axb4 3.e7! xe7 4.c7 . ] 3.xc6 xc6 4.e4! The key move, which creates a decisive protected passed pawn. dxe4 5.d5+ d6 6.e3 b4 7.xe4 a4 8.d4 h5 9.gxh5 a3 10.c4 f5 11.h6 f4 12.h7 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Rezabala,J Cardenas,A Macas [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) . Position 54 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Ke4 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Rezabala,J Cardenas,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e4? f5+! An unexpected breakthrough. [ Instead, the game went 1...xd1? 2.xd1 and was later drawn ] [ while 1...xe3?? 2.xd3 cxd3 3.xe3 f5 4.f3! even wins for White. ] 2.gxf5 [ Both 2.xf5 xe3 ] [ and 2.f3 xe3 3.xd3 fxg4+ 4.hxg4 cxd3 5.xe3 h3 win for Black. ] 2...xe3 3.xd3 cxd3 4.xe3 g4! 5.f6 d6 . Black wins.
. (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Nepomniachtchi,I Iordachescu,V Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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Yusupov,A Malaniuk,V USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1983
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. Position 55 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Nepomniachtchi,I Iordachescu,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...f7! Heading for the queenside to fight against the passed pawns. [ In contrast, after 1...f5 2.b4 g4? 3.b5 g3 4.a6 , White wins comfortably. ] 2.b4 [ Black also draws after 2.a6 h6 3.a7 a6+ 4.b4 xa7 5.xh3 b7+ 6.c3 e6 – Baburin. ] 2...e7 3.b5 d7 4.b6 c6 5.b1 h5! 6.c1+ b7 7.b4 h4+ 8.b5 h5+ 9.b4 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 56 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Rf4 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
Yusupov,A Malaniuk,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...f4? A bad choice, since the ensuing pawn race will work out in White’s favour. [ Correct was 1...a8! 2.b3 f3 , keeping some chances of a draw. ] 2.xf4 gxf4 3.g5 f3 4.g6 f2 5.g7 f1 6.g8+ h4 [ After both 6...h3 7.c8+! g3 8.c7+ g4 9.d7+ ] [ and 6...h2 7.h7+ g2 8.g6+ h2 9.d6+! , White manages to exchange queens – Malaniuk. ] 7.d8+ [ In view of 7.d8+ h3 ( or 7...h5 8.d1+ ) 8.d3+ , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
1960
(Diagramme) . Position 57 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Qxf6+ here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Wade,R Korchnoi,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Wade,R Korchnoi,V Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten]
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1.xf6+! xf6 2.f3 In this pawn ending, White wins by tying the black king to kingside defence and then preparing a breakthrough on the queenside. g5 [ Or 2...g5 3.g4 g6 4.a4 in similar fashion. ] 3.a4! [ The move order matters – not 3.b4? b5 . ] 3...h5 [ White also wins after 3...c6 4.dxc6 bxc6 5.b4 f6 6.a5 ] [ or 3...b5!? 4.axb5 b6 5.h3 h5 6.e3
g5 7.f4+! . ] 4.b4 g5 5.b5 h5 6.a5 [ In view of 6.a5 bxa5 7.b6 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Ramesh,R Hillarp Persson,T Antwerp [Johan Hellsten] a
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2000
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. Position 58 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Ramesh,R Hillarp Persson,T continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...e5! Betting on the passed pawn as a defensive weapon. [ Instead, the game went 1...g7? 2.a6 h7 3.h4 g7 4.h5 h7 5.a7 and White later prevailed by a king march to d7. ] 2.a6 f5 3.h4 [ Or 3.a7 e4 4.f2 a2+! in similar style; e. g. 5.e3 a3+ 6.d4 f4 7.h4 e3 8.h5
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a4+ with a draw – Hillarp. ] 3...e4 4.h5 a1+ 5.f2 a2+ The king should be driven away from the e-pawn. 6.g3 a3+ 7.h2 g5! [ But not 7...e3? 8.g3! . ] 8.a7 f4 9.h6 a5! 10.g4! [ Less is promised by 10.g1 a1+ 11.f2 e3+ 12.e2 a2+ . ] 10...a2+ 11.h3 a1 With good drawing chances; [ e.g. 11...a1 12.f8 xa7 13.h4!? e5 14.h5 e3 15.e8+ f4 16.g6 xg4 17.xe3 f5 etc. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Schlosser,P Tseitlin,Mi Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
1992
(Diagramme) . Position 59 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Tal,M Zapata,A Titograd [Johan Hellsten] a
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Schlosser,P Tseitlin,Mi continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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1.c5! Preparing Rg4-b4 with a favourable pawn race. b1 [ After 1...f2 2.e7+ d3 3.d7+ c3 4.xb6 f1 5.b8 , White wins – Tseitlin. ] 2.g4+ e3 [ Or 2...d3 3.b4 xb4 4.xb4 f2 5.b8 f1 6.b5+ . ] 3.b4! xb4 4.xb4 f2 5.b8 f1 6.e5+! [ In view of 6.e5+ d2 7.c3+ e2 8.c4+ , Black resigned.
. Position 60 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Tal,M Zapata,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.xh6! Starting a little combination that will create a strong passed pawn. [ Less is promised by 1.c2 h8 2.b4 d7 .] 1...xb3 2.c5! Tal’s suggestion. [ Instead, the game saw 2.g5?! fxg5 3.c5 , when b4! 4.cxd6+ f7 , followed by ... Rd4, would have yielded drawing chances – Tal. ] 2...dxc5 3.g5 b2+ [ Or 3...b5 4.gxf6+ f7 5.g4 , preparing 6 Bh5+ and g2-g4-g5. ] 4.c3 xg2 5.gxf6+ f7 6.h7+
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O'Rourke,R Redmond,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ In view of 6.h7+ xf6 ( or 6...f8 7.e6 ) 7.h6+ , White wins. . (End of Chapter Two; press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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O'Rourke,R Redmond,J Irish Championship, Dublin [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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1.g4! Giving up the pawn in order to apply Philidor’s defence. [ Instead, the game went 1.g5?! d4 2.g8 e3 3.e8+ d3 4.g8?! e2+ 5.f1 d2 6.a8 e7 7.a2+ c3 with practical difficulties for White, who ended up losing. ] 1...xg4 [ Or 1...d4 2.h3 with similar play – Baburin. ] 2.h3 d4 3.a3 g2 4.b3 d3 5.b8 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Szabo,L Portisch,L Hungarian Championship, Budapest [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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. Position 61 (White to play) Show the simplest way to make a draw. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
. Position 62 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1959
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Bronstein,D Rantanen,Y Tallinn [Johan Hellsten]
1975
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Szabo,L Portisch,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 63 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...d2! Preparing to double the rooks on the second rank. 2.b1 ff2 3.xb6 [ Or 3.g4 b2 4.d1 fd2 5.f1 a4 etc. ] 3...xg2+ 4.f1 xh2 5.b8+ f7 6.b7+ f6 7.b6+ g5 8.g1 dg2+ 9.f1 c2! 10.g1 hd2 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bronstein,D Rantanen,Y continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e2! Simple and strong, in order to seize the open file. xd3+ 2.xd3 b5?!
Badly timed due to White’s strong fifth move. [ 2...c8 3.d7 c5 was a lesser evil. ] 3.cxb5 axb5 4.d7 f8 5.a5! c6 6.b7 b4 7.b8! c5 8.g3 . In view of 9 Ne4 with inevitable material losses, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bruzon Batista,L Navara,D Havana [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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. Position 64 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Bruzon Batista,L Navara,D continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...c4! Cutting the enemy king off and enabling a bridge with ...Kc3 and ...Rb4. 2.g3 c3 3.f8 b2 4.f1 b3 5.g5 [ 5.b1 was more tenacious, when c1 6.xb2+ xb2 7.f4 c3 8.g5 d4 9.f5 d5 10.f6 d6 is one winning path. ] 5...c1 . White resigned.
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. (press F11 for the next exercise)
Gullaksen,E McDonald,N London [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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. Position 65 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gullaksen,E McDonald,N continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e6+! A clever intermediate check. f7 [ Or 1...d8 2.b6 with a decisive double threat. ] 2.b6 [ In view of 2.b6 c4 3.b7+ f8 4.e6 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Vaganian,R Khasin,A Yaroslavl [Johan Hellsten]
1982
(Diagramme)
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Vaganian,R Khasin,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 66 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.xc8 This and the following moves enable White to seize the c-file. [ 1.a6? xc1 2.xc1 c5 was less to the point. ] 1...xc8 2.a6! c7 3.xb7 xb7 4.c1! With a huge advantage. f8 5.d3 e7 6.d4 d7 7.e5 e7 8.c6 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Szuhanek,R Kovacevic,B Borovo [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 67 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Szuhanek,R Kovacevic,B continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Adams,Mi Gurevich,M Dresden Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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[ Instead, the game went 1.f1? g2 2.h1 d3 3.h8 a2 4.b8 a1+ 5.f2 e3+ 6.f3 f1+ 7.g2 e2 8.d8+ c4 and White resigned. ] 1...h4 [ Obviously, 1...f4+ 2.xf4 xf4 3.f2 is a draw. ] 2.a6! . To the edge. White draws. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 68 (Black to play) In the event of 1...Bxe3, how would you recapture, and why? . (press F11 for the solution)
Adams,Mi Gurevich,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1.f1! To the short side of the pawn, preparing the defence of the long side.
1...xe3 2.fxe3! The right recapture so as to create a second passed pawn. From now on, White wins comfortably by pushing the a-pawn to a7 and then using the e-pawn as a bait to
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Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Sokolov,A Fressinet,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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deflect Black’s king. [ Instead, 2.xe3? g5 leads to a draw; e.g. 3.a5 a4 4.a8 g6 5.a6 a2 6.a7 g7! – Baburin. ] 2...g5 3.a5 a4 4.a8 [ In view of 4.a8 g4 5.a6 a2+ 6.f1 g3 7.a7 g7 8.e4! , followed by e4-e5-e6-e7, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Sokolov,A Fressinet,L French Championship, Val d'Isere [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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. Position 69 (Black to play)
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1...f4! Preparing to place the rook behind the passed pawn. 2.b5 b4 3.c5 h4 4.f2 b2+! Sokolov’s suggestion. [ Instead, the game saw 4...h7? 5.e3 b2 6.d4 h6 ( or 6...xg2 7.h5+ g6 8.xh4 ) 7.c3 xg2 8.b6 g6 9.b5 c6+ 10.b4 c8 11.b7 b8 12.a5 and Black resigned. ] 5.e3 [ Or 5.f3 h7 6.h3 g6 7.g4 xg2+ 8.xh4 h6 9.c6 b2 10.b6 b4+ 11.g3 h5 12.f3 b3+ with a draw – Sokolov. ] 5...xg2 6.h5+ g8 7.xh4 b2 8.h5 g6 9.g5 xh2 10.xg6+ f7 . Black makes a draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Smeets,J Vachier Lagrave,M Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2011
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. Position 70 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Smeets,J Vachier Lagrave,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Carlsen,Ma Anand,V Monte Carlo (blindfold rapid) [Johan Hellsten] a
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also works, but the text is more practical. ] 3.b2 f3 4.c4 bxc4 5.c3 e4 6.h7 f5! 7.h1 f2 8.f1 d5 9.b5 c5 10.b6 f3+ . With 11...Kxb6 next, Black soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 71 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Carlsen,Ma Anand,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1...d6! Cutting off White’s king before advancing the passed pawn. [ Less is promised by 1...f3 2.d3 f4 3.f7+ g3 4.c4! bxc4+ 5.xc4 f2 6.xf2! xf2 7.b5 etc. ] 2.b7 d5 [ Baburin showed that 2...f3 3.xb5+ g6
1.a6! Placing the rook behind the most dangerous of the enemy pawns. [ Instead, the game saw 1.f6? a1+! 2.f2 a3 3.a6 a2 and White resigned. ] 1...a3 2.c5! White hurries to create counterplay. a1+ 3.f2 a2 4.c6 h1 5.c7 d7 6.a7 White holds; [ e.g. 6.a7 a1?! 7.e6+ c8 8.xa1 , when xa1? 9.e7! even loses for Black –
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Ochsner,B Predke,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Ochsner,B Predke,A World Junior Championships, Maribor [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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1...a2! Placing the rook behind the passed pawn, and never mind the a6-pawn. 2.d6+ g7 3.xa6 f7 It transpires that White’s king has been marginalized from the battle. 4.a7+ [ Obviously, 4.f4 at any moment runs into a3+ . ] 4...f6 5.a8 g7 6.a5 f7 7.a6 g7 8.a7+ g6 9.a8 g7 10.a7 h7 11.f4 a3+! 12.f2 gxf4 . Even without the f-pawn Black wouldn’t lose this, and a draw was soon agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Fernandez,DH Illingworth,M Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) . Position 72 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
. Position 73 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2012
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Beliavsky,A Ree,H
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Kiev [Johan Hellsten]
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Fernandez,DH Illingworth,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 74 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...d1+! This intermediate check displaces White’s king, thus yielding Black a vital tempo. [ 1...-- ] 2.c6 e1 3.d5 b4 4.e5 b5 5.d6 b6 6.e6 d1+ 7.e7 c7 8.f7 f1+ 9.e8 d6 10.e7 e1 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Beliavsky,A Ree,H continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c4! This advance will leave Black’s king decisively cut off from the queenside. dxc4+
2.xc4 c8+ 3.b5 e5 4.d7! Cutting Black’s king off horizontally. [ 4.d1? b8+ was less to the point. ] 4...e6 5.b7 d6 6.a6 c1 7.b5 a1+ 8.b6 b1 9.h7 b2 10.a6 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Potkin,V Grischuk,A Khanty-Mansiysk (modified) [Johan Hellsten] a
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Potkin,V Grischuk,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ Or 1...c4 2.c2 etc. ] 2.d4 a4+ 3.d5 c4 4.xd6 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Topalov,V Aronian,L Monte Carlo (blindfold rapid) [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) 1.f2! With the idea of 2 Rc2 in order to place the rook behind the passed pawn. [ Instead, 1.xb5 a6 2.c7 c6 ] [ or 1.c5 dxc5 2.c7 xa2 3.c8 a3+ 4.e4 xg3 , followed by 5...Rg6, lets Black defend himself. ] 1...a3+
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. Position 75 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. Position 76 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Topalov,V Aronian,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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Svidler,P Korchnoi,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
2008
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Svidler,P Korchnoi,V Dresden Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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Position 77 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1...h6! Preparing ...Ra6 in order to place the rook behind the passed pawn. [ Instead, after 1...a2? 2.a6 , White achieves the same thing with a draw. ] 2.c1? [ The only chance was 2.c7+ f6 3.c5! – Baburin; e.g. h1 4.a5 a1 5.f2 a2 6.g2 xf5 7.xd5+ e4 8.a5 xd4 9.a8 etc. ] 2...a6 3.d3 a2 4.a1 f6 Thanks to the passive enemy rook, Black wins comfortably. 5.c3 xf5 6.b2 e4 7.e1+ xd4 8.a1 c3 9.c1+ d2 10.c2+!? d3! 11.c3+ e4 12.h3 d4 [ The game concluded 12...d4 13.h4+ d3 14.h3+ c4 15.c3+ d5 16.h3 b6! 17.xa2 c4 18.h1 c3 and White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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1...c2+! A timely intermediate check. [ Instead, after 1...xb2? 2.xa6 ] [ or 1...f5+? 2.b6 f4 3.a5 xh5 4.xa6 f5 5.b6 , White should win. ] 2.b6 xb2 3.xa6 [ If 3.a5 , then a2+ . ] 3...xb4 4.d7 [ In view of 4.d7 b1 5.a5 b4 6.a4
etc, a draw was agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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position 78 Sozin,V [Johan Hellsten] a
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Tal,M Zaitsev,I Riga [Johan Hellsten]
1968
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. Position 78 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
position 78 Sozin,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g6! The rook behind the passed pawn(s). d7 2.g4 g2 [ Or 2...e6 3.xf4 e5 4.g4 . ] 3.xg2 e6 4.g5! Cutting the king off. f3 5.g3 f2 6.f3 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 79 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Tal,M Zaitsev,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.b1! Preparing a frontal attack. [ Instead, the game went 1.d3? e1! (forcing White’s king to move away) 2.d2 e8 3.b1 g5 4.h1+ g6 5.g1 e5! (now the move 6 Kd4 is impossible) 6.d3 f5 7.d4 e4+ 8.d3 g4 and White resigned. ] 1...g5 2.d3 e8 3.h1+ g6 4.g1 e5 5.d4! . White draws – Panchenko. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Fish,G Dinstuhl,V German League [Johan Hellsten]
2007
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Fish,G Dinstuhl,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 80 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.a6+! Preparing Rd6-d3 in order to keep all the pawns defended, in similar style to Example 224 (Morovic-Gulko). g7 [ Or 1...e7 2.a4 , preparing Re4 in similar fashion. ] 2.d6 a2 3.d3 f6 4.e3 a1 5.e4 g1 6.f4! a1 [ Or 6...d1 7.d3 , building a bridge. ] 7.d4 f5 8.c4 g4 9.b4 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Thomassen,J Tjomsland,S Norwegian Championship, Tonsberg [Johan Hellsten] a
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( or 1...c1 2.h1+ ) 2.c3 d2 3.d3! . ] [ Instead, the game went 1.h3? d1+ 2.c3 d2 3.h1+ ( or 3.d3 c1! , when White is missing a rear check ) 3...e1 4.h2 e3+ 5.b2 , upon which d3! , followed by the king’s escape, would have won for Black. ] 1...e1 [ Or 1...g2 2.b3! with a waiting game. ] 2.h2+ e3 3.h3+ An annoying side attack. e2 4.h2+ f3 5.h3+ . White draws – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ljubojevic,L Smeets,J Amsterdam [Johan Hellsten]
h a
. Position 81 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Thomassen,J Tjomsland,S continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 82 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Ljubojevic,L Smeets,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.h1! Simplest, so as to prevent 1...Kd1+. [ White could also play 1.b3 ; e.g. d1
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2007
1.d7! Preparing a frontal attack.
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[ 1.c7 xc5 2.b1! h7+ 3.c8 , followed by frontal checks, worked as well ] [ whereas the game saw 1.e5? xc5 2.e4 ( or 2.b1 h4 3.c1+ c4 4.b1 b4 5.c1+ b5 and wins thanks to White’s cut-off king ) 2...c4! 3.e3 c3 4.c7 e6+ 5.f4 c4! 6.f5 h6 7.e4 c5 8.e3 d6! and Black soon won. ] 1...xc5 2.b1 h7+ 3.e6 h6+ [ Or 3...h4 4.d7! c4 5.h1 . ] 4.d7! . Black can’t progress – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Rosberg,S Al Sayed,MN Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 83 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2008
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Rosberg,S Al Sayed,MN continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.h7! Cutting the king off from the seventh rank. [ Instead, the game went 1.c5? d6 2.b5 b8+! (Black is just in time to launch a frontal attack) 3.c4 h8 4.b5 b8+! 5.a4 a8+ 6.a5 g8 7.a6+ c7 with a draw later on. ] 1...d6 2.a5 a8+ 3.b6 b8+ 4.b7! c8 5.b5 . White wins – Baburin. Indeed, there is no defence against the plan of Rh7, Kb7, b5-b6 etc.
. (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Morales,M Pino,M Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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. Position 84 (Black to play) Black played 1...Rb3 here – why was that a mistake? What should she have played instead? . (press F11 for the solution)
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(Diagramme) 1...b3? This allows White to create a duo of passed pawns by means of a little combination. [ 1...g7?! is also bad due to 2.g5! , followed by a king march to the opposite flank. ] [ The active 1...h5! was called for; e.g. 2.gxh5 gxh5 3.b6 b3 4.xa6 xb4 and with a passed pawn of her own, Black shouldn’t lose. ] 2.b5! axb5 3.a6 a3 4.a7 g7 5.f5!
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[ Instead, the game saw 5.f2? , when b4! 6.f5 gxf5 7.gxf5 b3 8.fxe6 b2 9.e7 xa7! 10.e8 xb7 would have forced White to play 11.d8 b1 12.g5+ with a perpetual. ] 5...gxf5 6.gxf5 h6 7.xf7 exf5 8.e6 g6 9.b7 . White wins with e6-e7 and Rb8 next. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Flores Rios,M Lemos,D Pan-American Junior Ch., Camboriu [Johan Hellsten] a
Morales,M Pino,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 85 (White to play) What result is produced by: a) 1 b5 - ?; b) 1
Kc5 - ? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Flores Rios,M Lemos,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Ipatov,A Vajda,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1.b5? This lets Black save himself by a bridge. [ Correct was 1.c5! c8+ 2.b6 b8+ 3.c7 and White wins. ] 1...d8! Enabling Philidor’s defence. 2.h4 d6 3.h7 d7 Enabling Philidor's defence. 4.h8 g7 5.b4 c7 6.a5 b7 . A draw was soon agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ipatov,A Vajda,L Golden Sands [Johan Hellsten]
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2012
(Diagramme) . Position 86 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1.a6! Building a bridge. [ Instead, the game went 1.e7? e3+ 2.f6 f3+ 3.g7 g3+ 4.h6 f3 and was later drawn. ] 1...xc5 2.e7 e3+ 3.e6 f3 Here and on the next move, an exchange of rooks lets White queen with check. 4.f6 a2 5.xf3 a1 6.f8 . White wins – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Oleksienko,M Grigoriants,S Cappelle la Grande [Johan Hellsten] a
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2007
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Short,N Amonatov,F Bangkok [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 87 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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[ Instead, the game went 1.a7? xh2 2.a5 f8 3.a6 h6! (tying the enemy rook to the pawn) 4.e5 g8 5.d5 f6 6.a8+ g7 7.c5 f5+ 8.b6 and a draw was agreed. ] 1...xh2 [ Or 1...f7 2.h4 a1 3.h5 g7 4.e5 , heading for the opposite flank. ] 2.e6 f8 3.a5 . White wins by again transferring his king to the opposite flank – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 88 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Short,N Amonatov,F continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.b4! White prefers a side angle for his rook, so as to keep it active.
1...h6! In such positions the pawn should be controlled from the side, as we saw in
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Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Fischer,RJ Keres,P continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Example 217 (Kamsky-Karpov). [ Instead, the game went 1...f6?! 2.a6 a5? ( the last chance was 2...d5 – Baburin ) 3.a8 a4 4.d3 g7 5.c3 f4 6.a7+ g6 7.b7 a4 8.a7 f6 9.b3 a1 10.c4 e6 11.c5 and Black resigned. ] 2.a6 g6 . Black defends – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Fischer,RJ Keres,P Zurich [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 89 (White to play)
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1.h5! Preparing a bridge on g4 in order to enable f5-f6. Later on, a further bridge on the a2-g8 diagonal will help the pawn continue its advance. h7 2.g4 c4 [ Or 2...xg4 3.xg4 xh6 4.f5 – 'Bulletin'. ] 3.f5 f7 4.h5 c4 5.g6+ g8 6.f6 Here Black resigned; let’s see a possible continuation: b3 [ Or 6...h8 7.f4 g8 8.e5 a2 9.d6 g8 10.e7 d5 11.h5! h7 12.g4 xh6 13.e6 and wins – Barcza. ] 7.f4 h8 8.e5 c4 9.d6 b3 10.e7 c4 11.f7 d3 12.e8! Preparing a bridge on e6. c4 13.d7 g8 14.e6! h7 15.f7 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Carlsen,Ma Aronian,L Candidates semi-final, Elista (3) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2007
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Lie,K Sepp,O European Team Championship, Heraklio 2007 [Johan Hellsten]
. Position 90 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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5.d7 ] [ or 1...c8 2.g4+ h8 3.d6 d8 4.c4 g8 5.f3 f8 6.c6 , preparing Ke4-d5, White wins. ] 2.g4 c7 3.g7 b5 4.xh7 g8 5.g7+ h8 [ After 5...f8 6.g4 , the h-pawn decides. ] 6.d6 d7 7.f3! b4 8.e4 xd6 Forced, because of the threat of Kd5-c6. 9.xf7 a6 10.g4! Creating a second passed pawn. g8 11.h7+ h8 12.g5! fxg5 13.f6 . In view of Kf5-g6 next, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 91 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e4! Heading for the seventh rank. [ Less convincing was 1.d1?! f8 ] [ or 1.d6? f8 2.d1 e8 3.d7+ d8 4.d6 c7 – Marin. ] 1...f8 [ After 1...c7 2.g4+ h8 ( 2...f8 3.g7 leads to the game ) 3.d6 d7 4.c4 d8
Lie,K Sepp,O continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...e3! By tying the white king to the b-pawn
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in this way, Black prevents his own king from being cut off later on. [ Instead, the game went 1...b1? 2.c3! e6 3.xc5 d7 4.b5! g1 5.b4 g6 6.a5 and White soon won. ] [ Incidentally, 1...e5? would lose as well after 2.b5 e6 3.xc5 e1 4.b4 . ] 2.b2 e6! 3.xc5 d7 4.b6 c8 5.b4 [ Or 5.a7 e7+ . ] 5...b8 . Black defends. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Novikov,S Jakovenko,D Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
2007
(Diagramme) . Position 92 (White to play) Between 1 Re8 and 1 Kg2, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Novikov,S Jakovenko,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.e8? This lets Black decide the battle by an intermediate check. [ Instead, the game went 1.g2! b2+ 2.f1 e5 3.g1 e3 4.h1 e4 5.g1 e2 6.g2 e3 7.g1 b6 8.h2 b5 9.g2 b3 10.g1 b2 11.h1 e1 12.e8 xb7 13.xe3+ f2 14.a3 and was later drawn. ] 1...b2+! [ But not 1...xb7? 2.xe6+ with a draw. ] 2.g1 xb7 3.xe6+ f3 . Black wins – Deviatkin.
. (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Xu Jun Cao Sang FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 93 (Black to play) Black played 1...Rd4 here – why was that a mistake? What was preferable? . (press F11 for the solution)
Xu Jun Cao Sang continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...d4? A natural move, but now White is able to decide matters by a bridge. [ Correct was 1...a4! with a waiting game; e. g. 2.d6 ( or 2.d3 g6 3.d6 a8 4.f3 d8 etc ) 2...a2+ 3.d1 a1+ 4.c2 a2+ and White can’t progress – Baburin. ] 2.d3 e4+ 3.f3 e8 4.e3! The key move, which helps the king to get closer to the pawn. d8 5.e4 g6 6.f3! Cutting the enemy king off. g7 7.e5 a8 8.e6 Black resigned. [ 8.d6 f8 9.xf8 xf8 10.f6!
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was also possible. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Fischer,RJ Portisch,L Stockholm Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 94 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Fischer,RJ Portisch,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.d6+! [ Exploiting the fact that 1.d6+ c8? fails to 2.c6 , White forces the enemy king to the wrong side of the pawn. ] [ In contrast, 1.c5 h7 ] [ or 1.c6 h7 leads to a draw – Panchenko. ] 1...e7 2.c5 c8 [ White also wins after 2...d7 3.c6 a7 4.b6 a1 5.d2 . ] 3.c6 c7 4.h6 d8 5.h8+ e7 6.a8! . Finding himself in zugzwang, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 95 Kasparian,G [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 95 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 95 Kasparian,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...b1+! A timely intermediate check to displace the enemy king before attacking his pawns. [ Instead, after 1...a5? 2.d6+ e7 3.c7! , followed by 4 Kb6 and 5 Rh6, White wins. ] 2.a7 b5 3.d6+ c7! [ Avoiding both 3...c8? 4.e6 ] [ and 3...e7? 4.a6 c5 5.b6 . ] 4.c6+ d8! [ But not 4...d7? 5.e6+! e7 6.c7+ and 7 Rd7(+) next – Panchenko. ]
5.d6+ c7 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Alekhine,A Tartakower,S Vienna [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 96 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Alekhine,A Tartakower,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.d5! An ingenious move in order to place the rook behind the enemy passed pawns. [ Other tries are less convincing; e.g. 1.c2 e4 2.d4 e3 3.d1 e2+ 4.d2 g3 5.e4 h4! ] [ or 1.g5 e4 2.f2 d7 3.g6 e5 4.c2 e6 ] [ while 1.h2 e4 2.h8+ d7 3.f8 leads to a worse version of the game. ] 1...e4 [ Or 1...f2 2.d1 e4 3.c2 f4 4.f1 e3 5.d3 etc. ]
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2.f5 g3 3.g5 d7 [ A sacrifice with 3...e3 fails to 4.xf3 e2 5.e3 e1 6.xe1 xe1 7.g6 . ] 4.g6 e6 5.g7! xf5 6.g8 f4 7.f7+ g4 8.g6+ g5 9.xe4+ g3 10.g6 g4 11.xb6 . Black resigned. . (End of Chapter Three; press F11 for the next exercise)
Pugachov,A Notkin,M Russian Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 97 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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(Diagramme) . Position 98 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 98 [Johan Hellsten]
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position 98 continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1.d4! Heading for e3 in the spirit of one single diagonal. [ Instead, 1.f3 g6 2.g7 c5 leads to a draw – Belov. ] 1...g6 2.e3 With the bishop controlling two of the enemy pawns, the king is ready to attack the third one. d5 3.f3 d4 4.f4 c5 5.e2 c4 6.d2 f7 7.c2 f6 8.b2 [ In view of 8.b2 g6 9.a3 c3 10.b3 h7 11.c4 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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1.b8! Preparing to use the magic distance idea. [ Instead, 1.b6? d7+ 2.c7 c5 only draws. ] 1...c6+ [ White also wins after 1...g5 2.c7 ] [ or 1...d7+ 2.c8! b6+ 3.d8 . ] 2.c7 b4 3.b6 d5+ 4.c6 e7+ 5.c5! White wins. [ Of course 5.b5 ] [ and 5.d7 work as well. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Mueller,K Abel,E German Cup [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...gxh4 2.gxh4 e6 3.f3 f5 [ In view of 3...f5 4.xh5 f4 5.f7 g4 6.h5 g5 7.b3! b5 8.d1 h6 9.a4 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 99 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Grandelius,N Hansen,SB German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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Mueller,K Abel,E continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.h4! Fixing the h5-pawn. [ 1.f3? h4 was less useful. ]
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. Position 100 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Grandelius,N Hansen,SB continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g4! Provoking weaknesses on the enemy kingside. g7 [ Now 1...h5? obviously fails to 2.h6+ . ] 2.d2! In the same provocative spirit. g5 [ Since 2...h5?? fails to 3.h6+ , Black is forced to create a weakness on f5. ] 3.e2 c8 4.e3 g6 5.f5 e6 6.h4! b3?! [ The more tenacious 6...c6 can be met by
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Neumann,G Steinitz,W continued [Johan Hellsten]
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7.hxg5 hxg5 8.b2! with good winning chances – Grahn. ] 7.hxg5 hxg5 8.f3! d5 9.h3 dxe4 10.g4! [ In view of 10.g4 f6 11.h5# , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Neumann,G Steinitz,W Baden-Baden [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 101 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...f4+! Heading for f3 in order to restrict the knight. 2.g7 f3 3.g6 [ Or 3.b2 d5 4.g6 d4 5.g5 f1! , followed by ...Rb1-b4 – Karpov/Gik. ] 3...e5 4.g5 d4 5.g4 f1! 6.b2 Interestingly, it is now the king that is applying the magic distance idea. b1 7.a4 b4 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Zhang Zhong Gulko,B China vs. USA, Shanghai [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 102 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2002
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. (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Gopal,G Vallejo Pons,F Moscow [Johan Hellsten] a
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Zhang Zhong Gulko,B continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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1.xd4 exd4 2.e5! Establishing a powerful barrier. g5 3.d2 f5 4.g3 h6 5.a4! Preparing the creation of a second passed pawn by b3-b4. f7 [ Unfortunately for Black, he can’t bring his king over with 5...d8 due to 6.b7+ . ] 6.b4! axb4 7.a5 c8 8.d3! [ More technical than 8.a6?! xa6 9.xa6 e6 . ] 8...g6 9.xd4 f5 10.g4+! [ In view of 10.g4+ xg4 ( or 10...g6 11.a6 ) 11.e6 , Black resigned.
. Position 103 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gopal,G Vallejo Pons,F continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...d6! Applying the magic distance in order to restrict the knight. [ Instead, 1...g3? failed to 2.c6+ d6 3.xd4 g2 4.e2 . ] 2.c5+ c7 [ The more complicated 2...xc5?! 3.d7+ b5 4.e5 g3 5.f3 g2 6.c2 c4 7.d2 g4 8.g1 d3 wins as well – Müller. ] 3.a6+ c8! Again the same theme. 4.b4 g3 5.d3 g2 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Jakovenko,D Carlsen,Ma continued [Johan Hellsten]
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2009
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. Position 104 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...h5! Fixing the h4-pawn as a future target. 2.gxh5 [ Or 2.g5 b6 3.d2 f2! 4.f3 a7 5.d2 e5 and wins – Ftacnik. ] 2...gxh5 3.e3 c5 4.d3 [ After 4.e4 b4 5.e5 xb3 6.xf7 xh4 , the a-pawn queens. ] 4...b4 [ In view of the zugzwang after 4...b4 5.c2 f6! , White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Fernandez,Se Bravo,A Santo Domingo [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 105 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2010
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Hammer,J So,W Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
2011
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Fernandez,Se Bravo,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 106 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e7! A useful piece of provocation. [ Instead, the game went 1.f2? f8 2.d5 e8! ( not 2...f6? 3.d7! ) 3.b4 f6 , followed by ...Ke7 and a draw later on. ] 1...f6 2.f2 f8 3.d7 It transpires that White’s rook can no longer be expelled from the seventh rank. g6 4.e3 e8 5.h7 . With a clear advantage. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Hammer,J So,W continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.f1! With the plan of chasing the bishop away from d1 and then blockading the d-pawn
by Nb3(e2)-d4. g5 [ Or 1...d4 2.e1 h5 3.d2 g6 4.e2 d3 5.f4 etc. ] 2.e1 h5 3.d2 f8 [ The restrictive 3...a4? fails to 4.d3 , heading for d4. ] 4.b3! e7 5.d4 g6 6.g3 d6 7.a3 All the pawns have been placed on squares of the “right” colour. c5 8.c3 . With excellent chances for a draw, a result that White achieved many moves later. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Mondaca,A Meruvia,J Arica [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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. Position 107 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
salvation lies in giving up the g4-pawn and then controlling both enemy passed pawns on the long diagonal. For this plan to work the king must reach the e2-square. ] 1...f3 2.b7+! [ Instead, the game went 2.f1? xg4 3.e2 g3 and Black won by ...Kh2-g1, ... g5-g4-g3-g2 etc. ] 2...xg4 3.e2 g3 4.c6 g4 5.b7 White holds; [ e.g. 5.b7 h2 6.f1 g3 7.c6 . As for the a-pawn, it can always be defended by the bishop. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Smeets,J Ponomariov,R Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 108 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Mondaca,A Meruvia,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.d1! [ Not 1.b7+? e3 2.g2 e2 . White’s
2011
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Abdul,MM Kulicov,O Dubai [Johan Hellsten]
2006
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Smeets,J Ponomariov,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...f4! Fixing the enemy pawns as future attacking objects. [ 1...-- ] 2.g3 g5 3.g2 d5! Tying White’s king to the f3-pawn. 4.f2 f7 5.gxf4 gxf4 6.e2 a2 7.d4 e8 . With the inevitable plan of a king transfer to b1. White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 109 (White to play) White played 1 Rd3 here – why was that bad strategically? What was preferable? . (press F11 for the solution)
Abdul,MM Kulicov,O continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.d3? g5! Fixing a long-term weakness on
h3. For this reason White should have played 1 h4! instead. 2.e1 e7 3.e5 f6 4.ee3 d6 5.b3 b6 6.a3 hc8 7.d2 c4! 8.ad3 ac8 9.c3 b5 10.a3 e5! 11.e1 a5 12.h1 8c7 13.d1 b4! Opening a new front. 14.axb4 axb4 15.a1 exd4 16.cxb4 [ 16.xd4? was impossible because of bxc3+ 17.bxc3 xc3 . ] 16...c2+ 17.e1 xb2 18.xd4 cc2 . Black later won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Paehtz,E Tischbierek,R Rostock [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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2...c6 3.d3 b5 4.d6!? [ Perhaps 4.b3!? a4 5.b4 was better – Postny, who also suggests 2...a4 on move 2. ] 4...a4 5.f8 c4 6.f4 g5 7.e6 [ 7.h5 f5 8.f6 was preferable – Postny. ] 7...f5 8.g7 g6 9.e7 b3 10.e6 [ Here 10.e6 c4 offered good winning chances ( instead Black played 10...xb2? and, after 11.xc5 , a draw was soon agreed ) ; e.g. 11.c5+ xc5 12.xc5 xb2 13.b4 d4! 14.cxd4 f7 with zugzwang – Postny. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 110 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Paehtz,E Tischbierek,R continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...b1! Softening up White’s queenside pawns. 2.a3 [ Not 2.a4? a2 with ...Bb3 next. ]
Bartel,M Kempinski,R Polish Championship, Warsaw [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 111 (White to play) Between 1 Bc6 and 1 h5, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
2011
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Bartel,M Kempinski,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.h5? This lets Black establish a successful blockade. [ Before pushing the h-pawn White should have improved his bishop; e.g. 1.c6 h7+ 2.f5 f6 3.e4 h7 4.d3 f6 5.g5 g8 6.e4 f6 ( or 6...h6 7.d5 ) 7.f5 g8 . At this point, Baburin gives the following variation: 8.h5! e7 ( or 8...h6 9.e6 h7 10.f6 ) 9.h6+ h8 10.e4 g8 11.g4 e7 12.f3 g8 13.g2 e7 14.e4 g8 15.g6 e7 16.f7 h7 17.f6 and White wins. ]
1...h7+ 2.f5 h6! 3.g4 [ A draw was agreed at the same moment, as after 3.g4 g5 , the knight will control g5 forever. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Carlsen,Ma Radjabov,T Linares [Johan Hellsten] a
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2009
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. Position 112 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Carlsen,Ma Radjabov,T continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.f1! Heading for e1. [ Instead, the game went 1.f3? b5! 2.b4 ( or 2.e3 b2 3.b4 c3 with similar play ) 2...c3! 3.b7+ ( 3.xb3 d2 is no better ) 3...g8 4.b8+ h7 5.e3 b2! 6.b7+ g8 7.b8+ h7 and a draw was agreed. ] 1...b5 [ Or 1...b2 2.b4 c4 3.e1 d2+ 4.e2
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Hertneck,G Yusupov,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
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h8 5.b7 g8 6.f5! d1+ 7.xd1 e3+ 8.d2 xf5 9.xb2 etc – Illescas. ] 2.b4 c3 3.e1! . The magic distance. White will soon win. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Hertneck,G Yusupov,A German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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. Position 113 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...g5! Preparing ...g5-g4 in order to fix the enemy pawns on dark squares. 2.d2 [ After 2.g4!? xh2 3.d2 g3 4.c1 d6 5.d2 e7 6.e1 f6 7.g3 e5 8.dxe5 xe5 9.f2 h2 10.e1 d4 11.exd4 xd4 12.d2 h6 13.e1 f4 , the zugzwang decides – Yusupov. ] 2...g4 3.e1 e7 4.f2 g5 5.g1 f6 6.f2 e5 7.dxe5 xe5 8.e1 [ Or 8.g1 d4! 9.exd4 xd4 10.xd4 xd4 11.d2 h6 etc. ] 8...c3! [ White resigned, in view of 8...c3 9.f2 ( or 9.xc3 bxc3 10.b4 axb4 11.a5 b3 12.a6 b2 ) 9...h6! 10.g1 d4 11.exd4 xd4 12.xd4 xd4 13.d2 h5! – Yusupov. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Adianto,U Dreev,A Beijing [Johan Hellsten]
2000
(Diagramme) . Position 114 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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g5 12.xa6 f4 13.f3 g3 . Black later won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. (press F11 for the solution)
Adianto,U Dreev,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Smyslov,V Matanovic,A Monte Carlo [Johan Hellsten]
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1967
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. Position 115 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Smyslov,V Matanovic,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1...d8! Heading for d5 in order to blockade the d4-pawn. [ Less is promised by 1...g4 2.hxg4 hxg4 3.e5 . ] 2.g4 g6 3.b3 d5 4.f1 g7 5.e2 hxg4 6.hxg4 f5! Preparing to expel the knight from f3. 7.gxf5+ exf5 8.c2 [ Perhaps 8.e3!? g4 9.h4+ g5 10.g2 was a lesser evil. ] 8...g4 9.c6+ h5 10.e1 xd4 11.d3
1.a1! [ Seeing that 1.d1?! is met by a6! , heading for b8, White first provokes ...a7a6 so as to rule out that knight manoeuvre. ] 1...a6 [ Now, in contrast, 1...b8? runs into 2.d1 with 3 Rd7 next. ] 2.d1 f8 [ Or 2...d8? 3.b7+ . ] 3.d7 b8 4.e5 a7! 5.e4! b6 6.g2 The king should join the battle. [ Instead, 6.xh7? d5! yields Black
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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Andersson,U Larsen,B continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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counterplay – Shereshevsky. ] 6...h6 7.g3 f6 8.exf6 xf6 9.g4 f8 10.h7! d8 [ Or 10...f6 11.h5 . ] 11.xh6 b5 12.h7 . White later realized his extra pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Andersson,U Larsen,B Stockholm (match) (2) [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 116 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + detailed plan.
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1.d4! Intending Kg3, h3-h4, Kh3 and Ne2-g3 with a barrier, after which the king will be ready to invade the enemy camp. Meanwhile, Black is confined to passive defence. [ 1.g3 first is also possible. ] 1...d7 2.g3 g6 3.h4 h5 4.h3! g6 5.e2 b5 6.g3 f7 7.g2 [ Of course not 7.xf5?? d7 . ] 7...e6 8.f2 e8 9.e1 g6 10.d2 d5 11.c3 c5 Black has managed to restrict the enemy king, but now the h-pawn takes its toll. 12.h5 h7 13.e2! b5 14.d4+ xa5 15.e6 b5 16.f8 g8 17.h6 a5 18.h7 xh7 19.xh7 a4 20.xf6 a3 21.d5 [ In view of 21.d5 a2 22.b2 c4 23.e7 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
position 117 Dvoretsky,M [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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5.f2 f6 6.e2 d4 , White ends up in a fatal zugzwang; e.g. 7.f1 ( or 7.d2 g3 ) 7...e3 , heading for d3. ] 2...f4 3.d3 f6 4.d6! A final accuracy. [ After 4.h1? g3 5.e2 h2 6.e4 g1 , Black wins. ] 4...exd6 5.d5 . Black can’t progress. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Kasparov,G De Firmian,N New York (rapid) [Johan Hellsten]
h a
. Position 117 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
position 117 Dvoretsky,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 118 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Kasparov,G De Firmian,N continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.e5! On the theme of one single diagonal. [ Instead, 1.h5? g2 ] [ or 1.h1? h2 2.f3 g1 loses outright. ] 1...dxe5 2.e4! [ The move order matters – after 2.d6? f4 3.dxe7 ( or 3.d7 e6 ) 3...xe7 4.h1 e4
1.g5! An ingenious sacrifice in order to create a weakness on h6. fxg5 [ White also wins after 1...hxg5 2.h6 ] [ or 1...xg5 2.xb6 . ] 2.g4! [ Of course not 2.f8? g4 . ]
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Cheparinov,I Caruana,F continued [Johan Hellsten]
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2...e6 3.c6 d4 4.d6 . In view of 5 Bc7 next, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Cheparinov,I Caruana,F European Team Championship, Novi Sad 2009 [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 119 (White to play) Between 1 a4 and 1 a8Q, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.a4? This lets Black trap the knight by applying the magic distance idea. [ Correct was 1.a8 xa8 2.xa8 xa3 3.c7! with a draw – Baburin. ] 1...b4! [ Perhaps White only anticipated 1...c5? 2.a8+ xa8 3.xa8 xf2 4.a5 with chances for a win. ] 2.a8+ xa8 3.xa8 a5! Despite the pawn minus, only Black can win this. 4.g4 f8 5.g3 e7 6.h5 gxh5 7.gxh5 e6 8.f4 f5 9.e3 e5 10.d3 d5 11.e3 e5 12.d3 f4 13.c4 f3 14.d3? [ It was time to rescue the knight by 14.b5! e1 15.b6 xf2 16.c4+ f4 17.d2 a7 ( or 17...e3 18.xf3! xf3 19.c4 g4 20.d3 xh5 21.e2 a7 22.f3 ) 18.c4 f2 19.d3 with a draw – Baburin. ] 14...f4 15.d4 e1 16.d3 xf2 17.c7 a7 18.d5+ g5 19.a5 xh5 20.a6 h4 21.e3 h5 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 120 Horowitz,I [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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Euwe,M Reshevsky,S Nottingham [Johan Hellsten]
. Position 120 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 120 Horowitz,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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, when a3 runs into 5.c2+! b3 6.bxa3 .] 2.a1! d3 3.e7 d2 4.d6 a5 [ White also wins after 4...c1 5.b4 b2 6.c6! ( but not 6.c5? c3! with zugzwang ) 6...xa1 ( or 6...c3 7.c5 ) 7.b6 – Dvoretsky. ] 5.c5 a4 [ Or 5...c1 6.b3 b2 7.b5 . ] 6.b4 c1 7.a3 b1 8.b3! axb3 9.xb3 . White wins. . (End of Chapter Four; press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 121 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.b3!! With the surprising idea of 2 Na1 in order to create a new barrier. [ Instead, 1.e7? b4 2.d6 a5 3.d5 a4 4.c4 b5! (zugzwang) 5.d4 b4 6.d3 b3 leads to a draw. ] 1...c4 [ Or 1...b4 2.a1 a5 3.e7 a4 4.d6
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Euwe,M Reshevsky,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.a5! Betting on the passed pawn.
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[ Less is promised by 1.f3?! b4 . ] 1...xb3 2.a6 a3 [ Or 2...d3 3.a7 e4 4.b8 f3+ , transposing. ] 3.a7 e4 4.b8! From here the queen covers the a8-square and gets ready for a check on e5 at some moment. f3+ 5.g1 d1+ 6.h2 e2 7.e5+ [ In view of 7.e5+ h7 8.f4 a2 9.xf7+ , followed by Qf8+ and a7-a8Q, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Smyslov,V Rodriguez Vargas,O Cienfuegos [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
1973
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Smyslov,V Rodriguez Vargas,O continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 122 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e5! Centralizing the queen in order to create back-rank motifs and rule out ...Qb2. [ 1.c5?! b2 2.d2 c3 was less convincing. ] 1...b4 2.c5 a5 Just as on the previous move, the c-pawn was immune due to 3 Rd8+. 3.d7 xa2 [ Or 3...xc5 4.f6! with a double threat at f7 and d8 – Smyslov. ] 4.c6 a4 5.f6 f8 6.c3! e5 [ If 6...c8 , then 7.d4 b5 8.c7 xe2+ 9.h3 f1+ 10.h4 etc. ]
7.d5 [ Seeing that both 7.d5 c8 ( and 7...e4 8.c7 exf3+ 9.exf3 a2+ 10.d2 e6 11.d8 ) 8.c7 e8 9.d2 g7 10.d8 e6 11.xc8 xc8 12.d8 would be terminal, Black resigned – Smyslov. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Gligoric,S Averbakh,Y Titovo Uzice [Johan Hellsten] a
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1966
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[ After 2...g8 3.g4 hxg4 4.hxg4 , preparing Kg5, White should also win. ] 3.g4! hxg4 4.hxg4 g5+ The ensuing pawn ending is lost, but Black had no other way to parry the mating threat. 5.fxg5+ g6 6.f6+! xf6 7.gxf6 xf6 8.h5 g7 9.g5 . White soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Gelfand,B Ponomariov,R Biel [Johan Hellsten]
. Position 123 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Gligoric,S Averbakh,Y continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g5+! By a short series of checks White brings the queen to e7, as a preparation for g3g4. [ The immediate 1.g4?? evidently failed to e1# ] [ while 1.e7 can be met by d4 . ] 1...h7 2.e7+ h6
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. Position 124 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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Gelfand,B Ponomariov,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Ljubojevic,L Karpov,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1...h5! Betting on the passed pawn. 2.f8+ [ After 2.xg6 h4 , Black is okay – Gelfand. ] 2...d7 3.f7+ c8 4.f8+ d7 5.g7+ c8 6.d5 a2+ Simplest, reducing material. 7.c4 xa4 8.xg6 d7+ 9.e4 b7+ 10.f4 c7+ 11.f3 xc4 12.xh5 f1+ . A draw was soon agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ljubojevic,L Karpov,A Milan (analysis) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 125 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...a3 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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1975 1...a3! An accurate choice, since the re-arrival of queens on the board will give Black a mating attack. 2.b6 a2 3.b7 a1 4.b8 g1+ [ But not 4...c1+? 5.d4 . ] 5.f3 d5+ Starting to weave a mating net. 6.e2 d1+ 7.f2 f3+ 8.e1 g3+ [ The quiet 8...c4 also works – Marin. ] 9.f1 c4# . . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Usca,D Astudillo,I Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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. Position 126 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Usca,D Astudillo,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Smyslov,V Lilienthal,A USSR Championship, Leningrad [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...b1! Betting on the passed pawn. [ Less constructive was 1...b6?! 2.b3 ]
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[ while the game saw 1...f6?! 2.g2 c3! 3.xf7 b3? ( 3...c2 first was correct ) 4.f5+ g8 , and at this point 5.d5+! f8 6.d8+ f7 7.d7+ f6 8.d6+ f5 9.d5+ would have led to a perpetual. ] 2.xf7 b3 3.e4 c2! Preventing the check on c8. 4.f5+ g8 5.e6+ h8 6.e8+ h7 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 127 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Smyslov,V Lilienthal,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.d5! Preparing e5-e6 to expose the enemy king. a7+ 2.e2 g8 3.e6! fxe6 [ If 3...e7 , then 4.d7! decides ] [ while 3...a6+ is met by 4.d2 fxe6 5.d3! , winning the g6-pawn as Black can’t
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exchange queens – Smyslov. ] 4.e4! a6+ [ After 4...f7 5.xb4 , the b-pawn should decide matters. ] 5.d3 b6 6.xg6+ f8 7.xh5 d4 [ Or 7...a6+ 8.d2! d6+ 9.e1 and the checks are over – Smyslov. ] 8.f3+ g7 9.b3 With two sound extra pawns, the rest is simple. b2+ 10.f1 c1+ 11.g2 c3 12.e3 e5 13.h5 c6+ 14.g1 c3 15.g5+ f7 16.g6+ e7 17.h6! xb3 18.h7 d1+ 19.g2 d5+ 20.f3 d2+ 21.h3 d7+ 22.g4 d1 23.g7+ . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bejar,B Carrera,A San Miguel [Johan Hellsten]
2011
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Bejar,B Carrera,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 128 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.g4! Preparing h4-h5-h6 to interfere with Black’s play. [ Less precise was 1.h5?! g7 ] [ whereas the game went 1.c2? d7 2.e2 a5 and Black later converted his extra pawn. ] 1...a5 [ Or 1...f8 2.d7! d6 3.g4 , insisting on the h5-h6 plan. ] 2.h5 b5 3.h6 f8 4.d7! White’s active queen compensates for the pawn; [ e.g. 4.d7 xh6 5.xc7 c1+ 6.g2
xb2 7.f7 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Huebner,R Mecking,H Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] a
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1971
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. Position 129 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Huebner,R Mecking,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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. (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Ponomariov,R Radjabov,T Linares [Johan Hellsten] a
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2003
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1...e1! Clearing the way for the passed pawn, and never mind the f6-pawn. [ 1...e3!? looks strong too; e.g. 2.e4+ f2 3.a5 c3 4.a6 d2 5.a7 d1 6.a8 h1# . ] 2.xf6+ e3 3.e5+ f2 4.h2+ xf3 5.g2+ f4 6.h2+ f5 7.d6 [ Or 7.a2 h1+! 8.g3 h4+ 9.f2 h2+ – Hall. ] 7...f1+ 8.g3 h4+! [ In view of 8...h4+ 9.xh4 f4+ , White resigned.
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. Position 130 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Ponomariov,R Radjabov,T continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d4! Centralization. [ Less convincing is 1...c7 2.e4 with White applying the same idea. ] 2.c7 [ After 2.f3?! e7! , Black could even play for a win. ] 2...d5+! [ Of course not 2...c5?? 3.c4+ . ] 3.f3 [ Any king move drops the c7-pawn; e.g. 3.f1? h1+ 4.f2 h2+ . ] 3...c5 4.b7 xc2+ 5.f3 c3+ 6.e2 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Aronian,L Adams,Mi Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
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Aronian,L Adams,Mi continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
(Diagramme) . Position 131 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1.e3! Looking for a perpetual, while preventing ...Qb3. [ Instead, after 1.e7 b3! 2.e8+ h7 3.g6+ h8 , Black keeps winning chances – Adams. ] 1...f8 [ Or 1...h7 2.d3! , intending 3 f6+; ( but not 2.e8? f6; or 2.e6?! f6! . )] 2.c5+ e8 3.c8+ e7 4.c7+! Again accurate; [ after 4.e6+? d8 5.d6+ c8 6.c6+ b8 7.d6+ b7 8.d7+ b6 9.d6+
b5 10.d5+ b4 , White’s troubles are far from over – Adams. ] 4...f6 5.d6+ xf5 6.d5+ f6 7.d6+ f7 8.d7+ g6 9.d3+ f7 10.d7+ f6 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bologan,V Stefanova,A Gibraltar [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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. Position 132 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Bologan,V Stefanova,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.f8+! A series of checks in order to transfer the queen to g5, after which h4-h5, exposing Black’s king, will become possible. h7 2.e7+ h6 [ Or 2...g8? 3.xd6 , attacking g6. ] 3.g5+ h7 4.h5! [ 4.a5 h6 5.xa6 e5+ 6.f4 e3+ 7.g4 e4 8.g3 d5 is less convincing –
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Bologan. ] 4...gxh5 5.xh5+ g7 6.d5! Centraliza tion. c3+ 7.f3 e1+ 8.g4 b4+ 9.f4 With a decisive advantage – Bologan. [ There followed 9.f4 a5 10.f5 a4 11.g5 b2 12.g3 b6 13.e6 d8+ 14.h5 d5 15.g6+ f8 16.f5+ e8 17.e6+ f8 18.g6! c7 19.f5+ e8 20.xd5 and White soon won. . (End of Chapter Five; press F11 for the next exercise) ]
position 133 [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 133 (White to play)
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Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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position 133 continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Vasquez,K Brito,D continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1.h3! The only appropriate waiting move. [ After 1.e2? d4 2.d2 g4! ] [ or 1.d2? d4 2.h3 h4! , Black gains the opposition ] [ while 1.g3? fails to fxg3 2.hxg3 h4! , creating a decisive outside passed pawn; e. g. 3.gxh4 gxh4 4.e3 h3 5.f2 d4 6.g3 e3! etc. ] 1...h4 2.e2 d4 3.d2 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Vasquez,K Brito,D Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
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2010
(Diagramme) . Position 134 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1...f5! Gaining space. [ Instead, the game went 1...xg2? 2.xf7 xf3 3.xg7 h5 , and here White could have drawn by 4.f6! h4 5.e5 h3 6.d4 g2 7.e3 xh2 8.f2 . ] 2.e6 f4 3.f5 g5 [ 3...xg2 4.xf4 xh2 5.g4 g2 6.f4 f2 etc is good too. ] 4.g6 xg2 5.xh6 xf3 6.xg5 e3 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Gonzalez Zamora,J Nogueiras Santiago,J Matanzas [Johan Hellsten] a
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1992
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. Position 135 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Gonzalez Zamora,J Nogueiras Santiago,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Ofstad,P Kjoita,H Fagernes [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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to create a passed pawn. [ 1.-- ] 1...f8 2.f2 e7 3.e2 d7 4.d3 c6 5.e4! dxe4+ 6.fxe4 e8 7.e5 d8 8.d5+ b7 9.b1 Despite material equality, Black is lost. f6 10.e6 d6 11.g4 c8 12.d1 b5 13.axb5 d6 14.e4 xb5 15.c4 b6 16.b1 c8+ 17.d3 a4 18.xb5+! . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 136 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Ofstad,P Kjoita,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1.b5! Restricting Black’s pieces. Next White intends Kf2-e2-d3, followed by e3-e4, in order
1.g4! Waiting for Black’s king to move away. [ Instead, the game went 1.h5? gxh5 2.d7 xd7 3.f5 e7 4.g6 h4! and a draw was agreed. ]
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Andreev,P Player,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1...xd6 There is nothing better. 2.h5 gxh5+ [ Or 2...g5 3.f5 , followed by 3 Kg6. ] 3.xh5 e5 4.xh6 White wins; [ e.g. 4.xh6 f5 5.h5 f6 6.g4 g7 7.g5 – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Andreev,P Player,E Basingstoke [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 137 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...g5! Clearing some vital space for the king. [ Less is promised by 1...h6?! 2.g4! g5 3.f5 . ] 2.fxg5 [ Or 2.xc3 xc3 3.xc3 gxf4 4.gxf4 g6 5.d4 f5 6.e3 g4 7.e4 h5! (space) 8.e3 h3 . ] 2...g6 3.xc3?! The ensuing pawn ending is lost; [ but after 3.h4 f5 4.e3 xe5 5.d3 f5 6.f2+ g4 7.c2 c7! ] [ or 3.e4 xg5 4.h3 h5! 5.e3 f5 6.d4 c8 7.f2+ g5 8.c2 h4! , Black should be winning anyway. ] 3...xc3 4.xc3 xg5 5.d3 g4 6.e3 h3 7.f2 xh2 8.g4 h3 9.f3 h4 10.f4 h6 11.f3 g5 12.g3 h5 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Fiallos,B Vallejo,R Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2009
(Diagramme) . Position 138 (White to play)
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Fiallos,B Vallejo,R continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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Fischer,RJ Finegold,R Bay City [Johan Hellsten] a
Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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[ The immediate 3.c7?! permits b5 . ] 3...f8 4.d2! The c-pawn should be captured by the king. [ After 4.c7 c3 5.bxc3 dxc3 6.d3 a8 7.xc3 e8 , Black has less trouble. ] 4...e8 5.c7 c3+ 6.bxc3 dxc3+ 7.xc3 a8 8.c4 . White’s active pieces yield him a clear initiative. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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1.b7! Restricting the enemy rook. [ Instead, the game saw 1.a4? e8! 2.b7 e6 with a clear advantage for Black. ] 1...a6? [ In fact Black should surrender the b-pawn with 1...c4 2.xb6 d8 ; e.g. 3.b5 d3 4.cxd3 cxd3 5.e1 e8+! , heading for e2. ] 2.e2 c4 3.a4! Restriction.
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. Position 139 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Fischer,RJ Finegold,R continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.e8! Creating a decisive zugzwang. e7 2.e5! g4 [ Or 2...xe8 3.xf5 with an easy win. ] 3.g6! d7 4.xh7 c6 5.dxc6 xc6 6.xe4 xe4 7.xe4 f6 8.f4
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Smyslov,V Rumens,D continued [Johan Hellsten]
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. Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Smyslov,V Rumens,D Hastings [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 140 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.g4! Gaining some space and clearing a path for the king on the dark squares. fxg4 2.hxg4 d3 3.g5 d7 [ Or 3...h5 4.h3 f5 5.g4 g6 6.xh5 gxh5 7.g3 with a clear advantage – Smyslov. ] 4.e4 e5 5.e3 c2 6.exd5 cxd5 7.f4! e4 8.h3 f8 9.f1 a4 [ After 9...d3 10.f5! xf1 11.xf1 g6 12.f6 e6 13.f7 , the separated passed pawns soon decide matters. ] 10.f5 e8 11.f4 f7 12.e3 b6 13.cxb6+ xb6 14.e5! Active king. c6 15.b5+ xb5 16.d6 h5 17.e7 . Trapping the knight: White soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Vazquez,Gui Lujan,C Asuncion [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 141 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2011
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Bisby,D Rawlinson,A British League [Johan Hellsten]
2010
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Vazquez,Gui Lujan,C continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g2! Restricting the enemy plan of ... Rg1-g3. [ Instead, the game saw 1.f8+? g7 2.a8 g1! 3.a3 g3+ 4.h2 g6 5.b3 h5 6.a3 h4 7.b3 g4 and Black went on to win. ] 1...c2+ 2.f1 Black can’t make progress: draw. [ But not 2.h3? f2 3.g4 g2+ , followed by 4...Rg3. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 142 (Black to play) Between 1...a5 and 1...Kd6, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Bisby,D Rawlinson,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...a5? A bad choice, as an entry square is
created for White’s king on b5. [ Correct was 1...d6 , making waiting moves with the king; e.g. 2.g4 e6 3.g5 d6! 4.d4 c6 5.h3 d6 6.a5 b5 7.gxf6 gxf6 8.e4 c6 9.h4 d6 and a draw is probable – Baburin. ] 2.bxa5 bxa5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 c6 5.h3! White starts capitalizing on his spare tempo. f5 6.h4 d6 7.b5 d5 8.xa5 c5 9.a6 c6 10.a5 c5 [ Black resigned at the same time, without waiting for 10...c5 11.b7 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 143 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Jiang,L Ivkov,B continued [Johan Hellsten]
1...g5! Gaining space and dark-square control,
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while restraining White’s kingside pawns. 2.g3 h5 3.h4 f6 4.f4 [ Or 4.hxg5+ xg5 with 5...h4 next. ] 4...g4 Fixing a weakness on g3. 5.c4 b6 6.b4 a3 7.g2 e3 8.e5+ dxe5 9.fxe5+ xe5 . With the devastating threat 10...Ne4. Black went on to win. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ostenstad,B Agdestein,S Norwegian Championship, Asker [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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Jiang,L Ivkov,B Montreal [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 144 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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. (press F11 for the solution)
Pino,M Obregon,X Santo Domingo [Johan Hellsten]
Ostenstad,B Agdestein,S continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...e4! Isolating the enemy rook on f4, after which Black will be practically a piece up. 2.xe4 dxe4 3.b2 [ After 3.d1+ e6 4.xd7 xd7 5.d4 d6 , Black wins – Bartashnikov; e.g. 6.c4 g8+ 7.d4 e6 8.c3 c5 etc. Thus White tries to avoid the rook exchange. ] 3...c7 4.c3 d2+ 5.c1 d5 6.b2 d6 7.c4 g8! Switching to a more active post on e6. 8.c1 d2+ 9.b1 a2+ 10.a1 e6 11.b1 d5 12.b2 e5 13.c3 g8! 14.a3 [ White was in zugzwang; e.g. 14.c1 b5 ] [ or 14.c2 d3 ] [ while 14.a3 also fails after d2 . ] 14...d2+ 15.c1 a2! [ In view of 15...a2 16.c3 a4 , White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 145 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Pino,M Obregon,X continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.a4! Tying the black rook to the a7-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 1.xe5?! b5+
2.e4 xh5 3.a4 and now a5 yielded good drawing chances. ] 1...e7 [ Obviously, 1...d6? 2.a6+ makes no sense for Black. ] 2.xe5 b5+ 3.f4 a5 4.g4 . With good winning chances thanks to the extra pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Milev,Z Smyslov,V Tel Aviv Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1964
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. Position 146 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Milev,Z Smyslov,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...f6! A timely zugzwang before picking up the pawn. [ Of course not 1...xb7?? 2.xb7 xb7 3.g4 f6 4.f5 c6 5.f3! and White even wins – Smyslov. ] 2.e3 xb7! 3.xb7 An early surrender, but
the minor piece ending was also difficult for White due to his bad pawn structure. xb7 4.f3 [ Or 4.f3 b6 5.g4 c5 6.f5 d4 7.f3 e3 8.xf6 xf3 9.xg5 xe4 10.xh4 f4 and wins – Smyslov. ] 4...b6 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Erwich,F Khenkin,I Haarlem [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 147 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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. (press F11 for the solution)
Gelfand,B Huebner,R Munich [Johan Hellsten]
Erwich,F Khenkin,I continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...g5! Gaining space and preventing the ideal f2-g3-h4 pawn chain. 2.b8 xb8 3.xb8+ g7 4.g3 [ More tenacious was 4.g4 , followed by Kg2 and h2-h3. ] 4...a4! Preparing ...h7-h5-h4 to gain further space. 5.b7 h5 6.g2 h4 7.c7 e5 8.c6 f6 9.b6 [ Possibly a rear attack with 9.c7+ g6 10.e7 f5 11.e8 was better. ] 9...g6 10.c6 f5 11.b6 a2! 12.c6 [ Or 12.g4+ xg4 13.xf6 h3+ 14.f1 a1+ 15.e2 h1 etc. ] 12...e4 13.c5+ g6 14.gxh4 gxh4! [ Not 14...e3?! 15.hxg5 . ] 15.c3 f5 16.e3 f6 17.h3 f4 18.xh4 g5 19.h8 e3 20.g8+ h6 21.f1 e2+ . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 148 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Gelfand,B Huebner,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c6! Heading for e8 in order to tie Black’s king to the pawns. e5
[ Or 1...f5 2.e8 f6 3.d4 e5+ 4.e3 , transposing. ] 2.d3 f5 3.e3 f6 4.e8 e4 [ After 4...g5 5.d7 g4 6.f2 g5 7.c8 White also draws; e.g. e4 ( or 7...f4 8.b7 h4 9.g2 f3+ 10.f2 h3 11.c8 e4 12.f5 e3+ 13.xe3 g3 14.e4 ) 8.b7 h4 9.g2 g3 10.c6 g4 11.d7 e3 ( if 11...f4 , then 12.c8 e3 13.a6 e4 14.xg3 f4+ 15.g4 ) 12.b5 f4 13.e2+ f5 14.f3 e5 15.f1 d4 16.e2 with a successful blockade – Hübner. ] 5.d4 g5 6.b5 g4 7.f1 g5 8.e3 h4 [ Or 8...g3 9.h3 f6 10.f4 etc. ] 9.f4 e3 10.xe3 g3 11.b5 f4+ 12.e2 g2 13.c6+ f3+ 14.e3 g3 15.d5 f2 16.e2 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Kuderinov,K Gnusarev,P continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 149 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Kuderinov,K Gnusarev,P Kazakh Championship, Astana [Johan Hellsten]
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1.b5! Preparing to take the a4-pawn by means of zugzwang. b3 2.d7+ b8 [ Or 2...a8 3.b6 with mate. ] 3.b6! c8 4.d4! . The pawn falls, after which a light-squared bishop offers no hope of survival, so Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Zhou Jianchao Yu Yangyi Chinese Championship, Xinghua Jiangsu 2011 [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 150 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Zhou Jianchao Yu Yangyi continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...f1! Tying White’s king to the f-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 1...a1? 2.f7! a8 3.e8 a7+ 4.e7 a8 5.e6 b8 6.e7 b7+ 7.f8 b8+ 8.e8 b6 9.e7+ h8 10.e6 b8+ 11.e8 b7 12.f6 a7 13.f7 h7 14.d8 and Black resigned. ] 2.e4 f2 3.e3 [ Black also draws after 3.e6 a2 4.f6 ( or 4.f7 xh6 5.f6 a7+ 6.e7 a8 ) 4...a6+ 5.f7 a7+ 6.e7 a8! 7.e8 a7+ 8.f8 g6! . ]
3...f1 4.g3 f2 White can’t properly progress; [ e.g. 4...f2 5.g5 a2 6.f6 a5+ 7.g4 xh6 8.f3 a4+ 9.f5 a5+ 10.e6 a6+ with a draw soon in R.Zelcic-H. Rolletschek, Schwarzach 2003. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
position 151 [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 151 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
position 151 continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...d5! Improving the king as a preparation for a later zugzwang. [ It is vital to fight for the c4-square – after 1...e5? 2.d3 d5 3.g4! , White holds ] [ as well as after 1...h5? 2.d2! , with the distant opposition. ] 2.d3 h5! Moving the pawn which has already moved. [ In contrast, 2...g5? 3.g4 ] [ or 2...g6? 3.h3 lets White save himself. ]
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Position 152 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move: a) with White; b) with Black. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Felgaer,R Lopez Silva,H continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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3.h3 [ Or 3.h4 g6 . ] [ After 3.h3 , on the other hand, g6? fails to 4.h4 . ] 3...g5! 4.g4 h4! Black wins; [ e.g. 4...h4 5.c3 ( or 5.e3 c4 6.e4 xb4 7.f5 c3 8.xg5 b4 9.xh4 b3 ) 5...e4 6.c2 f3 7.d3 g3 8.d4 xh3 9.c5 xg4 10.xb5 h3 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Felgaer,R Lopez Silva,H Santiago [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g4! Gaining space. Likewise, 1...h5! would be a good choice if it was Black’s turn. d7 2.f2 f8 3.g3 g5?! [ A king transfer to c7 seems more tenacious; e.g. 3...e7 4.f4 h6 5.h4 d8 6.h5 c7 7.f6 gxh5 8.gxh5 d4+ . ] 4.h4! gxh4+ 5.xh4 g7 6.g5! Now this pawn severely restricts Black’s kingside. d4+ 7.g3 d7 8.f4 e7 9.g4 c7 10.b5 d7 11.h5 e7 12.d6 e4 [ 12...c7 13.f5 ] [ or 12...e6 13.xe6 fxe6 14.b6 is no better. ] 13.f5 h6 14.gxh6+ g8 15.d8+ . In view of 16 Rd7 next, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Hellsten,J De Firmian,N Bermuda [Johan Hellsten] a
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1997
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. Position 153 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Hellsten,J De Firmian,N continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Dydyshko,V Maryasin,B Belarus Championship, Minsk [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.h5! Restricting the enemy king, while avoiding pawn exchanges.
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[ Instead, the game saw 1.hxg5? hxg5 2.c2 g6 3.f3 f5! 4.exf5+ exf5 and Black later managed a draw. ] 1...g7 2.e5! In the same spirit of limiting the enemy king. c8 3.f3 c5 4.e2 . Preparing Kf2-e1-d2, with decent winning chances. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 154 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Dydyshko,V Maryasin,B continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.h5! Preventing the enemy plan of 1...Nc5 – Shereshevsky. b6 2.a5 a4 [ Or 2...c4+ 3.e2 , followed by the advance of the h-pawn. ] 3.e2 b2 4.d4 xa2 5.f5+ d7 6.h7 e6 7.h6+ d7
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Sanchez,Jh Bustillos,G continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ If 7...f6 , then 8.h7 with mate. ] 8.f6 a3+ 9.d4 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Sanchez,Jh Bustillos,G Tena (modified) [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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. Position 155 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.e3! Heading for f5 in order to restrict the bishop. [ In the same spirit 1.a5 e7 2.e3! is also possible. ] [ In contrast, 1.xa3? xa3 2.xa3 b5 leads to a draw ] [ as does 1.b4+? xb4 2.xb4 b6 . Incidentally, in the game Black’s king was actually on b6, which made 1 Nb4 a winning option. ] 1...d6 2.f5 f8 3.a5! In pawn ending style, pushing away the enemy king. c7 4.b5 d7 [ Or 4...b7 5.e3 etc. ] 5.b6 e6 6.c6 . White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Andersson,U Padevsky,N Pula [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 156 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1975
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Karpov,A Kasparov,G Las Palmas [Johan Hellsten]
1996
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Andersson,U Padevsky,N continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 157 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...h8! Preventing the plan of Kc8 and c6-c7. [ The game saw 1...h1? 2.c8! a8 3.c7 h8+ 4.d8 h7 5.e8 and Black resigned. ] 2.d7 a6 The simplest waiting move; [ although, against a c-pawn, 2...g8 works as well. ] 3.g7 a7 White can’t progress; [ e.g. 3...a7 4.d7 b6 5.c7 b7 6.g1 h7+ 7.d8 h8+ . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Karpov,A Kasparov,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g2! An accurate waiting move. [ In contrast, after 1.g3? f6 , both 2.g4
( and 2.f4 exf4+ 3.xf4 g5+ ) 2...h5+ 3.g3 g5! soon allow Black to capitalize on his outside passed pawn. ] [ After 1.g2 , the players agreed to a draw, since f6 2.g3 g5 ( whereas 2...h5?? even loses after 3.f4! , now that one pawn stops two on the kingside ) 3.h5 leads to a complete closure of the position. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Volokitin,A Mamedyarov,S European Cup, Eilat [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 158 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Volokitin,A Mamedyarov,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g4! A decisive piece of restriction. [ Instead, after 1.xb2? h5 , followed by ... Rh6, Black survives. ] 1...h5 2.gxh5 h6 3.xb2 f5 4.e8 f4 5.c2 f3 6.d3! . White wins – Baburin. In
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fact Black already resigned after 1 g4. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Gustavsson,F Lundvik,J Swedish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten] a
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2004
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. Position 159 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gustavsson,F Lundvik,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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2000
(Diagramme)
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Banikas,H Tyomkin,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Banikas,H Tyomkin,D Dos Hermanas [Johan Hellsten]
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Position 160 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.e2! An accurate waiting move. [ Instead, 1.a5? obviously failed to b5 ] [ while both 1.d2? f4 2.e2 e3 3.f3 d3 ] [ and 1.f4? d3 2.a5 e3 3.a6 e2 4.a7 e1 5.a8 e4+! win for Black as well. ] 1...f4 2.d2 A position of mutual zugzwang. c5 [ Or 2...e3+ 3.e2 d5 4.a5! ( not 4.d3? c5 ) 4...e4 5.a6 f3+ 6.e1! d3 ( after 6...e2?? 7.d2! , Black loses ) 7.a7 f2+ 8.f1 e2+ 9.xf2 d2 10.a8 e1+ with a draw. ] 3.e2 f3+ 4.f2! [ But not 4.d2? f2 5.e2 e3 6.f1 c4 7.a5 d3 8.a6 e2+ 9.xf2 d2 . ] 4...c4 5.e3 xc3 6.a5 f2 7.xf2 d2 8.a6 e3+ 9.g2! The only square. e2 10.a7 e1 11.a8 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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1.h4! Fixing the h5-pawn and clearing a path for the king via h2-h3. gxh4 2.b5 f7 3.d3 g7 4.h2 h6 Here Black lost on time, but his position should be lost anyway because of the two weaknesses on h5 and e6 – Tyomkin. Let’s make a few more moves: 5.f4 [ Not 5.h3?! d4! 6.exd4 g5
with counterplay. ] 5...c6 6.h3 e8 7.xh4 g6 8.e2 f7 9.a6! g6 10.c8 f5 [ Or 10...f7 11.f5! exf5 12.e6 etc. ] 11.d7 Zugzwang – this explains 9 Ba6 instead of 9 Bb5. g4 12.e8 e2 13.f7 g4 14.b5 . White finally wins a pawn, with excellent chances of victory. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Baikov,V Diu,V Russian Championship, Elista [Johan Hellsten] a
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2001
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. Position 161 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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6.g5 b4 7.f5 b3 8.f6 b2 9.f7 b1 10.f8 d1 11.h4 b3 12.f5 e2 13.xh5 and White soon won. ] 2.c4 d6 3.b5 c7 4.a6 [ Or 4.h4 b7 , taking the opposition. ] 4...h4! The key move. [ After 4...c6? 5.h4! c7 6.a7 c6 7.b8 b5 8.axb5+ xb5 9.c7 , White wins. ] 5.gxh4 c6 6.a7 [ Or 6.h5 gxh5 7.h4 c5 8.b7 b5! 9.a5 b4 10.a6 b3 11.a7 b2 12.a8 b1+ 13.c8 d4 with a slight edge for Black – Hecht. ] 6...b5 7.axb5+ xb5 8.b7 c5 9.c7 d5 10.d7 e4 11.e6 xf4 12.f6 . Both sides soon queen, with a draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Wirthensohn,H Korchnoi,V Biel [Johan Hellsten]
Baikov,V Diu,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
1979
(Diagramme)
(Diagramme) 1...e6! Black has calculated that the queenside invasion by the enemy king is harmless, thanks to a little trick on move four. [ Instead, the game went 1...c6? 2.e5 c5 3.f6 b4 4.xg6 xa4 5.xf5 b5
. Position 162 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Lalic,B Cornette,M Metz [Johan Hellsten]
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Wirthensohn,H Korchnoi,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
the b4-pawn, and the game. 8.d1 c4 9.c1 xb4 10.b2 f5! 11.e3 e6 The magic distance. 12.g2 c4! 13.f4 g4 14.a3 d4 15.b4 e4 16.a5 f3 17.xa6 xg3 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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1...g6! Creating a first zugzwang. [ 1...c6 2.d3 is less productive. ] 2.a4 [ Or 2.d1 d5 , heading for c4-b3 – Korchnoi. ] 2...bxa4 3.xa4 d5 4.b2 [ The desirable 4.c5 failed to a5 . By the way, note that Black has the “right” bishop for the h-pawn. ] 4...f5! Losing a tempo so as to reach the same position with White to move. 5.f4 c2 6.e3 g6 7.d2 d4 Black finally wins
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. Position 163 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Lalic,B Cornette,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.f3! An initial zugzwang that forces Black into the undesirable ...b6-b5. b5 [ Or 1...b7 2.b5! a8 3.g4 hxg4 4.xg4 b7 5.h3 a8 6.c8! , sidelining Black’s bishop from the battle. ] [ But 1...e6 2.g5 f7 3.b5 xb5 4.xd5+ e7 ( not 4...g7 5.e4 e8 6.d5 etc ) 5.xg6 e2 was a lesser evil –
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Lalic/Baburin. ] 2.g4! Starting an attack at the fresh weakness on b5. hxg4 3.xg4 e8 4.c8! c6 5.g4 g7 [ Black was again in zugzwang; e.g. 5...a8 6.d7 ] [ or 5...e8 6.b7 d7+ 7.f4 e6 8.c6 .] 6.g5 f7 7.g4 e8 8.e2! [ In view of 8.e2 g7 9.d3 with a final zugzwang, Black resigned. ] [ 8.h5 also worked – Lalic/Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Bu Xiangzhi Paragua,M Turin Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
2006
(Diagramme) . Position 164 (Black to play) Was Black right in playing 1...Nf7+ here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Bu Xiangzhi Paragua,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...f7+! 2.xf7 [ After 2.f5 d6+ 3.g6 ( or 3.f4 e8! in the same spirit ) 3...b4 4.h7 f8 5.g6 e8! , the blockade on g7 saves Black – 'ChessBase'. ] 2...xf7 3.d5 g6 4.c5 a6! Delaying White’s play. [ Instead, 4...xg5? 5.xb5 loses at once. ] 5.b6 xg5 6.xa6 b4! A key move, gaining a vital piece of space. [ In contrast, after 6...f6? 7.xb5 e7 8.b6 d8 9.b7 , White wins. ]
7.b5 f6 8.xb4 e7 9.b5 d8 10.b6 c8 . Draw. Curiously, Black resigned in the initial position! . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Spassky,B Timman,J Tilburg [Johan Hellsten] a
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1978
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. Position 165 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Spassky,B Timman,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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3.a4 c7 . And a king march to c2 decides – Timman. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Fedorov,V Chernikov,O Krasnodar [Johan Hellsten] a
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1974
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1...e1! Preparing a complete paralysis of White’s forces. [ Instead, the game went 1...a5?! 2.b2 a4 3.b6! f7 4.d6 xa2 5.f3 , intending Ke2 and Ne3, with increased chances for salvation. ] 2.b1 f4! The a-pawn should be restricted as well; [ after 2...f8?! 3.a4 a3 4.a5 c1 5.c3 , White escapes – Timman. ]
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. Position 166 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Fedorov,V Chernikov,O continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme)
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Novikov,S Jakovenko,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
2007
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Novikov,S Jakovenko,D Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
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Position 167 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1.g4! A powerful piece of restriction. [ Completely wrong was 1.xd8? xd8 2.xe6+ f6 3.xd8 xe3+ 4.f1 xe5 5.xb7 b6 ] [ while the game went 1.f2?! c6 2.xc6 bxc6 3.c1 with only a slight advantage – Shereshevsky. ] 1...c6 Forced; [ 1...-- in view of the threat of 2.xd8 xd8 3.xe6+ . ] 2.f1! In the same restrictive spirit, renewing the threat of 3 Nxe6+. [ The immediate 2.xe6+?! f7 was less promising. ] 2...d8 3.h4! . Ruling out ...Bg5, which means that Black has been left without useful moves. Next White plays Rf2 and brings his king to the queenside with decisive effect – Shereshevsky. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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1.f4+! Losing a move. [ Instead, after 1.gxh4? g3+ 2.h3 g2+ ] [ or 1.b2+? e2 2.xe2+ xe2 3.gxh4 f2 , Black wins at once ] [ while 1.xg4 hxg3+ 2.h3 f3! leaves White helpless against the transfer of Black’s rook to the h-file; e.g. 3.f4!? ( or 3.g7 f8 – Deviatkin ) 3...g2+! 4.xf3+
xf3 5.h2 f2 . ] 1...f3 2.xg4 hxg3+ 3.h3 The position after 2...Rf3 in the previous line has been reached, but with Black to play, and this turns out to be a mutual zugzwang. Incidentally, a similar position with reversed colours was analysed by Rabinovich. [ Actually, 3.h1 should also work. ] 3...e3 [ Or 3...g2+ 4.h2 ] [ while the essence of this zugzwang is revealed after 3...f8 4.f4+! . ] 4.g8 d3 5.g7 f3 6.g4! f8 7.f4+ xf4 . Stalemate. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ernst,T Sax,G Subotica Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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1987
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. Position 168 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Ernst,T Sax,G continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1.d4! Denying Black’s king the c5-square. [ Instead, the game continued 1.g4? c5! 2.e3 ( after 2.e5?! b6 , followed by ... Ka5-a4xa3 and ...b5-b4, Black reaches a superior queen ending – Speelman ) 2...b6 3.d2 and a draw was agreed in view of a5 4.c2 a4 5.b2 . ] 1...c6 [ Both 1...g5 2.g4! ] [ and 1...h5 2.h4! lead to similar play, with White keeping a spare tempo on the kingside. ] 2.a4! Despite its counter-intuitive appearance, this advance is very strong, since Black’s outside passed pawn merely becomes a target for the enemy king. bxa4 3.xc4 d6 4.b4 d5 [ After 4...d5 , Black is ready to meet 5.xa4? ( and 5.c4+ with d4 ) with 5...c4 ; however... ] 5.g4! A timely waiting move. [ Actually, any move with the kingside pawns should work here; e.g. 5.h4! h5 6.g3 with the same kind of mutual zugzwang that occurs in the main line. ] 5...g5 6.h3 . White wins – Ernst. . (End of Chapter Six; press F11 for the next exercise)
Hellsten,J Ahlander,B Malmö [Johan Hellsten] a
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2003
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1...g6 2.xe5+ xe5 3.f2 f6 4.a4 The candidate first. b6 5.b3 b4 6.e2 b6 7.f1+ . White went on to win, as we already know from Example 404 in Chapter Six. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 169 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Perez,Er Vallejo,V Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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Hellsten,J Ahlander,B continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 170 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Qc4 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.d4! A simple piece of simplification. [ 1.xb7+?! d7 would be less technical. ]
Perez,Er Vallejo,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.c4?? A fatal exchange. [ 1.d6 , followed by c5-c6, led to an easy win. ] 1...xc4 2.dxc4 f8 3.f1 e7 4.e2 d7 5.d3 c6 6.d4 a5 . Despite the pawn minus, Black wins comfortably, thanks to his outside passed pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Hellsten,J Lafuente,P continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Hellsten,J Lafuente,P Pinamar [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 171 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.xc8! Having an extra pawn, White hurries to swap pieces. [ Less convincing was 1.d2?! g7 ] [ while 1.d6? fails to c3! . ] 1...xc8 2.c1! c3 [ Or 2...xc1+ 3.xc1 g7 4.b2 c7 5.f2 etc. ] 3.xc3 xc3 4.e5 Returning the pawn in order to create a powerful passed pawn. b1 5.c5 xc5 6.dxc5 xa3 7.c6 b5 8.f2 f8 9.c7 a7 10.e3 The rest is easy. [ There followed 10.e3 e7 11.d4 d7 12.c5 c8 13.h4 h6 14.g3 e7 15.b6 c8 16.xa6 c6 17.d6 xb4+ 18.xb4 xc7 19.f8 and Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Noguera,A Cabrera,S Cuenca [Johan Hellsten]
2011
(Diagramme) . Position 172 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Smyslov,V Lengyel,L Amsterdam Interzonal [Johan Hellsten] a
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1964
. Position 173 (White to play) Between 1 Rf3 and 1 Rc8, which one is preferable and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Smyslov,V Lengyel,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.f6+! It is worth giving up a pawn to reach a pawn ending where Black’s bad queenside majority will play a decisive role. [ Instead, the game went 1.c3? , when Black could have created counterplay by h4 . ] 1...xf6 2.exf6+ xf6 3.e3 g5 [ After 3...e5 4.dxe5+ xe5 5.d3 , nothing is changed. ] 4.e5+ e7 [ Or 4...f5 5.g4+! xg4 6.d5 . ] 5.e4 . White wins.
1.f3! An accurate move, which lets the team of rook and bishop remain, while avoiding the queen and knight tandem. [ Less clear is 1.c8?! xc8 2.xc8+ g7 with counterplay in exchange for the pawn – Smyslov. ] 1...e3 [ Or 1...f4 2.a4 and the a-pawn decides – Smyslov. ] 2.b5 e7 3.c8+! h7 4.c3 The threat of 5 Bd3 forces Black to expose his king further. f5 5.d3 e6 6.c5 g7
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Adriano,M Vallejo,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ If 6...g6 , then 7.g4! – Smyslov. ] 7.xf5 . Short of compensation for the two pawn deficit, Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Adriano,M Vallejo,A Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2011
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. Position 174 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...c6! Avoiding an ending with oppositecoloured bishops, where the extra pawn would be more difficult to exploit. [ Instead, the game went 1...xb5? 2.xd8+ xd8 3.xb5 d6 4.d1 and White later saved a draw. ] 2.xd8+ xd8 3.d1+ c8 4.d4 a5! [ In the same spirit, 4...e5 is good too. ] 5.e2 [ The tactical 5.xe6? fails to d6 . ] 5...e7 . Preparing ...Rd8 with good winning chances. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Lema,A Obregon,G Santo Domingo (modified) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 175 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
2010
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powerful passed pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Lema,A Obregon,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Dominguez Perez,L Stellwagen,D Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten] b
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2009
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. Position 176 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Dominguez Perez,L Stellwagen,D continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.f6! Keeping the active rook. [ Instead, the game went 1.xe7+? xe7 , when a subsequent ...Ng8-f6 with a barrier would have yielded Black excellent drawing chances. ] 1...e5 [ Or 1...g7 2.h5 , winning the h6-pawn. ] 2.h5 d7 [ After 2...h7 3.f2 , followed by Ke3-e4, Black’s task is again difficult. ] 3.xh6 e3 4.g2! xb3 5.h4 gxh4 6.gxh4 . With a clear advantage thanks to the
1.g6! Transposing to a won pawn ending. [ Less convincing is 1.f3?! d8 2.g6 c3+ 3.g4 fxg6 4.g5 f3! with chances for a draw. ] 1...fxg6 2.xc7+ xc7 3.f3 [ In view of 3.f3 d7 4.g4 e7 5.g5 f7 6.h6 , Black resigned – Scherbakov. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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Leitao,R Jatoba de Oliveira Reis,P continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Leitao,R Jatoba de Oliveira Reis,P Brazilian Championship, Campinas [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 177 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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2011
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1...h4! The only move, so as to avoid a fatal queen exchange. [ Instead, the game went 1...c1? 2.f4+! xf4+ 3.xf4 e8 4.f5 f7 5.f4 g6+ 6.hxg6+ g7 7.e6 and Black resigned ] [ while 1...d8 2.c5+ e8 ( or 2...f7 3.d5+ ) 3.d5! b6 4.g8+ also wins for White. ] 2.d5 f2 3.e6 g8! . Black keeps chances of a draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Sveshnikov,E Kasparov,G USSR Championship, Minsk [Johan Hellsten]
1979
(Diagramme) . Position 178 (White to play) Between 1 Be1 and 1 Bxc5, which one is bad and for what reason? (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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b3 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Sveshnikov,E Kasparov,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Khismatullin,D Khusnutdinov,R Moscow [Johan Hellsten] b
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2010
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. Position 179 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Khismatullin,D Khusnutdinov,R continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.xc5? Transposing to a pawn ending where Black’s active king will prove decisive. [ Instead, by 1.e1 b4 2.f3! , covering the f2-square, White keeps the balance – Kasparov. ] 1...xc5 2.d3 [ Or 2.a3 d4 3.d2 a5 with a fatal zugzwang – Sveshnikov. ] 2...b4 3.c2 a3 4.b1 a5! In similar fashion to the famous game E.Cohn-A. Rubinstein, St. Petersburg 1909. 5.a1 a4 6.bxa4 xa4 7.b1 a3 8.a1 b4 9.b1
1...b5! Black exploits the moment to swap a pair of pawns. [ Instead, the game saw 1...b7? 2.g5 g2+ 3.xh4 a6 4.h5 a5 5.h4 and White went on to win. ] [ Also bad is 1...g2 2.f5 g3 3.xh4 a3 in view of 4.c4+! , releasing the hpawn – Baburin. ] 2.axb5 xb5 3.g4 b6 4.xh4 d6! A timely bridge. 5.e4 h6+ 6.g4 d6 7.h4 e6! . Again the same theme. Black draws – Baburin.
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Johannessen,L Adams,Mi continued [Johan Hellsten]
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. (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Johannessen,L Adams,Mi British League [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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. Position 180 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...d6! Avoiding a pure rook ending where the extra pawn would be more difficult to exploit; [ i.e. 1...xa5?! 2.xa5 d6 3.h4! with good drawing chances for White. Besides, the knight is favoured by a battle on one single flank. ] 2.c3 f6 3.a4 d5 4.e2 c7 5.d3 e7 6.d2 b7 7.a5+ e6 8.a4 f5 9.f4?! This just helps Black create a passed pawn; [ so 9.c3 was better. ] 9...d7+ 10.e2 d4+ 11.f2 f5! 12.fxe5 fxe5 13.e3 b7 . Black went on to win. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Volokitin,A Bologan,V European Cup, Rogaska Slatina [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 181 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Rc4 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
2011
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Frolyanov,D Smirnov,A Kazan [Johan Hellsten]
2012
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Volokitin,A Bologan,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c4! White heads for a queen ending, having seen that he can force the exchange of these pieces later on. [ 1.-- ] 1...xc4 2.bxc4 h3 3.d7 h2 4.e8 h1 5.c8+ b6 6.c7+! a6 7.c6+ . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 182 (Black to play) Between 1...Kc7 and 1...Rxc6, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Frolyanov,D Smirnov,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...xc6? The ensuing pawn ending proves to
be lost; [ so 1...c7! was called for; e.g. 2.xf5 c5+ 3.f4 a5! (a waiting move) 4.g5 ( or 4.f3 c5 5.g2 c2+ 6.h3 c1 – Baburin ) 4...a4+ 5.f3 xc6 6.xh5 d6 with a draw. ] 2.xc6 [ In view of 2.xc6 xc6 3.xf5 h4 ( or 3...d6 4.g5 e6 5.xh5 f6 6.g4 g7 7.g5 ) 4.gxh4 d7 5.f6 e8 6.g7 , Black resigned – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Gligoric,S Euwe,M Zürich Candidates [Johan Hellsten] a
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1953
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b3 3.h6 a3 4.g3 a1 5.e4 g1+ 6.f4 h1 7.e5 h4 8.g4 and White later prevailed by precise play. ] 2.hxg6 xg6 [ Avoiding 2...fxg6?! 3.gxh6+ xh6 4.f4 , when the passed e-pawn increases White’s winning prospects. ] 3.gxh6 xh6 . With excellent chances for a draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Mirkovic,S Ilic,D Kladovo [Johan Hellsten]
1990
h a
. Position 183 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gligoric,S Euwe,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...h6! Looking for pawn exchanges. [ Instead, the game went 1...gxh5?! 2.a6!
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Position 184 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Mirkovic,S Ilic,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Position 185 (White to play) White played 1 Rh4 – why was that a mistake? What was preferable? . (press F11 for the solution)
Ni Hua Najer,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
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2006
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(Diagramme)
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1.d6! Simplifying to a winning pawn ending. xc4 [ Or 1...g4+ 2.e3 xc4 3.xc7+ xc7 4.dxc7 xc7 5.f4 . ] 2.xc7+ xc7 3.dxc7 xc7 4.g4 d6 [ White also wins after 4...f6 5.f5 – Mirkovic. ] 5.xg5 e5 [ Or 5...e6 6.f4 . ] 6.f4+ e6 7.g4 Black resigned; [ one possible continuation being 7.g4 e7 8.f5 e8 9.f6 f8 10.g5 g8 11.e7 etc. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Ni Hua Najer,E China vs. Russia, Ergun [Johan Hellsten]
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1.h4? This lets Black transpose to a winning pawn ending. [ 1.g3! was correct, giving up a pawn in order to stay in the safer rook ending; e.g. xf3 2.xe5 xg3 3.e6+! b7 4.c6+ a7 5.e7 b8 6.e8+ a7 7.e7 with a draw. ]
1...f4+! 2.xf4 exf4 3.d4 b5 4.e4 xc5! [ But not 4...xa5 5.xf4 b5 6.g5! and White escapes. ] 5.xf4 d4! 6.g4 [ Or 6.g3 e3! 7.f4 e4 8.h4 c5 etc. ] 6...h4! 7.g5 d5 8.f5 d6! 9.g6 [ On 9.f6 , Black had h3 10.g6 h2 11.g7 h1 12.g8 xf3+ 13.g7 g4+ . ] 9...e7 10.g4 c5 11.xh4 c4 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Hatanbaatar,B Miton,K Dresden Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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2008
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reach a won pawn ending. [ After 1...a1 Black shouldn’t lose. ] 2.b6! [ 2.b8+!? f7 ( or 2...h7 3.b7 ) 3.b7+ g8 4.xg7+ was just as good. ] 2...f7 3.b7+ g8 4.xg7+! xg7 5.d5 f7 [ Black resigned at the same time, without waiting for 5...f7 6.d6 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Johansson,Li Ivanov,Se Stockholm [Johan Hellsten]
2011
h a
. Position 186 (Black to play) Between 1...Bg7 and 1...Ba1, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Hatanbaatar,B Miton,K continued [Johan Hellsten]
1...g7? A bad choice, as White manages to
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(Diagramme)
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Position 187 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Johansson,Li Ivanov,Se continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Torres,B Brito,D continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.xg4+! A timely simplifying combination. [ Instead, the game went 1.gxh4? fe8 2.xe8 xe8 , when Black’s counterplay later proved sufficient for a draw. ] 1...hxg4 2.h6+ g8 3.xf8 xf8 4.c6! . White wins – Grahn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Torres,B Brito,D Macas [Johan Hellsten]
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2011
(Diagramme) . Position 188 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.d4! Transposing to an endgame with opposite-coloured bishops. xf3 2.gxf3 f8 3.d7! e7 4.xe7 Of course – liquidating the rooks as well. [ Instead, the game saw 4.d4? g6 and Black went on to win. ] 4...xe7 5.a4 g6 6.d5 b5 7.axb5 axb5 8.f1 . White shouldn’t lose. Incidentally, the game J.Kupper-M.Filip, Enschede 1963, featured an almost identical ending. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
San Segundo Carrillo,P Andersson,U Pamplona [Johan Hellsten] a
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1998
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now manages to seize the seventh rank. [ Less is promised by 1.b1 d8! , when 2.xb7? fails to a5 . ] 1...e5 [ Or 1...e7 2.b1 b6 3.d6 with activity. ] 2.xe5 [ 2.c7?! g4 is less precise. ] 2...fxe5 3.c7 d8 4.b1! b6 5.xa7 g6 [ Or 5...xd5 6.xb6 d7 7.xd7 xd7 8.h6! . ] 6.b5 gd6 7.e3 xd5 8.xb6 8d7 9.xd7 xd7 10.f4 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ardeleanu,A Zelcic,R Schwarzach [Johan Hellsten]
h a
. Position 189 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
San Segundo Carrillo,P Andersson,U continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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. Position 190 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Ardeleanu,A Zelcic,R continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1.d5! In view of the pawn minus White is happy to reach a rook ending; besides, he
1...f5! Keeping the queens on the board.
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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[ 1...d5 looks fine as well. ] [ Instead, the game went 1...xe3+?! 2.fxe3 d5 3.d2 f5 4.xd3 f3 5.g1 and White later saved himself in the rook ending. ] 2.g4 [ Or 2.xa7 e5! with decisive threats. ] 2...f6 3.xd3 xd3 4.xd3 xf2 . With a clear advantage. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
position 191 [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 191 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + detailed plan.
position 191 continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d8 With the plan of transferring the king to e3, followed by ...Re1-e2+, transposing to a won pawn ending. [ 1...-- ] 2.c6 d7 3.c5 d6 4.c8 d5 5.c7 d4 6.c8 d3 7.d8+ e3 8.c8 e1! The key move, in similar fashion to Example 422 (Anand-Grigoryan). 9.xc2 e2+ 10.xe2+ xe2 11.g3 f1 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Giri,A Ivanchuk,V Reggio Emilia [Johan Hellsten]
2012
(Diagramme) . Position 192 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Rc6 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
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Balogh,C Moiseenko,A European Championship, Kusadasi [Johan Hellsten] a
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Giri,A Ivanchuk,V continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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1.c6! An accurate transposition to a pawn ending. [ Less is promised by 1.xf6 c4 2.xf7+?! ( though 2.e5! is also strong ) 2...d6 . ] 1...xc6 2.dxc6+ xc6 3.g4! c4 4.e4 [ Not 4.e4? f5+! . ] 4...d6 5.f3! A key move, safeguarding the pawns. [ Instead, 5.gxh5? only draws after e7 , heading for h6 – 'Chess Today'. ] 5...e6 6.e3 e5 7.gxh5 f5 8.h6 f4+ 9.d2 f6 10.h5 . Black resigned.
. Position 193 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Balogh,C Moiseenko,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.h7! Starting a little combination on the theme of pawn exchanges. [ Instead, 1.f8+?! g5 2.g8+ f4 yields Black practical winning chances. ] 1...g7 2.g8+ xh7 3.g5 f3 4.h3! The point. h6 5.hxg4 xg5 6.xf3 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Sokolov,I Brynell,S continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Sokolov,I Brynell,S German League [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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. Position 194 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
h
1.xc5! The correct exchange, so as to keep the powerful knight and avoid the oppositecoloured bishops. bxc5 2.h4! Opening a new front. d7? [ 2...eg8 3.e2 d7 was more solid – Sokolov. ] 3.hxg5 hxg5 4.xg5 eg8 [ Or 4...xe1 5.xe1 g8 6.e6 xg2 7.h1 in similar spirit to the game. ] 5.e6 xg2 6.h1! The arrival of a rook on the seventh rank will be decisive. hh2 [ Nothing is changed by 6...gg8 7.xh8 xh8 8.g1 – Sokolov. ] 7.xh2 xh2 8.g1 a6 9.g7+ c8 10.b3! xa2 11.xc7 b7 12.-[ Here White played 12.e6+ and went on to win. ] [ But even stronger was 12.b5+! b8 ( or 12...b6 13.c3 ) 13.g8+ b7 14.xd6+ – Sokolov. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Zhigalko,A Gorovets,A Belarus Championship, Minsk [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
2012
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. Position 195 (Black to play) Can Black play 1...Kc6 without fearing 2 Bd5+ here? . (press F11 for the solution)
Zhigalko,A Gorovets,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Eisenbeiser,A Postny,E Vlissingen [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...c6? Anything else was better. 2.d5+! xd5 3.xd5 xd5 4.f3! A key move which creates an outside passed pawn. gxf3 5.h4! [ But not 5.f2? e4 6.h4 d5 7.h5 d4 8.h6 d3 with a draw – Baburin. ] 5...e4 6.h5 f5 7.f2 g5 8.xf3 xh5
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9.e4 Despite the pawn minus, White wins comfortably. g5 10.d5 f5 11.xd6 f6 12.c5 e6 13.xb4 d6 14.b5 . White soon won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 196 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Eisenbeiser,A Postny,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.a5! A surprising route to a welcome pawn exchange. [ Instead, the game saw 1.xe6? xe6 2.e3 d5 and Black soon won. ] 1...bxa5 2.a6! g4 3.xa5 g3 4.b6+ f4 5.b7 b6 6.e2 . With a draw – Baburin. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Gacitua,C Alarcon,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
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Gacitua,C Alarcon,H Antofagasta [Johan Hellsten] a
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2005
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1...xf3+? A bad choice, as the extra pawn will be difficult to exploit in the ensuing ending with opposite-coloured bishops. [ Instead, 1...b5! 2.b3 b1 followed by ... a7-a5-a4 was called for, opening a new front on the queenside. ] 2.xf3 xf1+ 3.g2 g1+ 4.f3 . White later made a draw without much difficulty. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Cicak,S Hellsten,J Swedish Ch., Gothenburg (analysis) [Johan Hellsten]
h
(Diagramme) . Position 197 (Black to play) Between 1...b5 and 1...Bxf3+, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
. Position 198 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
2006
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Cicak,S Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...d2! A subtle move which prepares the exchange of queens. [ Both 1...xf3 2.g4+ ] [ and 1...xf3 2.g4! yielded White chances of salvation. ] 2.g2+ [ Black wins after 2.g2 g5+ ] [ or 2.g4 e3+ 3.h1 e1+ 4.g2 f2+ 5.h1 xf3+ ] [ while 2.h1 e1! 3.xe1+ xe1 4.g2 e2 5.f4 f5 is similar to the main line. ] 2...e3 3.xd2+ xd2 4.g2 e3 5.f4
xf4 [ 5...f5 is just as good. ] 6.f2 f5 . Black wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bok,B Poetsch,H Groningen [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 199 (White to play) Was White right in playing 1 Ra6 here? . (press F11 for the solution)
Bok,B Poetsch,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.a6! An accurate choice which practically forces the transposition to a won pawn ending. xa6 [ Or 1...b3 2.xh6 b1 3.e6 a1 4.xe3 with an easy win – Baburin. ] 2.xa6 b6 3.e2! xa7 4.f3 b7 [ White also wins after 4...xf3 5.gxf3 b6 6.f1 c5 7.e2 d4 8.h3! . ] 5.xb7 xb7 6.f1 c6 7.e2 d5 8.xe3 e5 9.f3 f5 10.h3 g5
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. (press F11 for the solution)
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Dolmatov,S Beliavsky,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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[ Or 10...h5 11.g3 e5 12.e3 f5 13.d4 etc – Baburin. ] 11.e4 h4 [ Equally hopeless is 11...f6 12.h4 e6 13.g4 with a decisive opposition. ] 12.f4 h5 13.g4 hxg4 14.hxg4 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Dolmatov,S Beliavsky,A USSR Championship, Odessa [Johan Hellsten] a
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1989
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. Position 200 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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1.g3! The exchange of queens will emphasize Black’s problem with the a6-pawn. xg3 [ Or 1...xc5 2.dxc5 f6 3.f4 with a huge advantage – Dolmatov. ] 2.xg3 xd4 [ After 2...xc5 3.dxc5 g4 4.e3 , the bishop vs. knight ending greatly favours White. ] 3.xf5! gxf5 [ Or 3...xf5 4.xa6 xh4 5.c7 etc. ] 4.xa6 c6 5.c7 xb4 6.xb5 g6 7.d4 . With a decisive advantage thanks to the powerful separated passed pawns. White later won. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Kveinys,A Djurhuus,R Oslo [Johan Hellsten]
1992
(Diagramme) .
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Position 201 (White to play) Between 1 b5 and 1 Rxe5+, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
Kveinys,A Djurhuus,R continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Ponomariov,R Kramnik,V Dortmund [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.xe5+? This allows Black to save himself in curious fashion. [ Instead, the game continued 1.b5! f6 ( or 1...axb5 2.xe5+ f6 3.xe6+ xe6 4.a6 ) 2.b6 e8 3.d5 e7 4.c7+ d8 5.a7 and Black resigned. ] 1...f6! 2.xe6+ xe6 3.b5 d6! 4.b6
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c6 . Draw – Kveinys. Note that such a fortress won’t work if all the pieces are moved one file to the right or one rank downwards. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 202 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (6-7 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Ponomariov,R Kramnik,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.b4! Returning the pawn in order to force a transposition to a won pawn ending. [ Instead, 1.xa7?! xe2 2.b4 f3 yields Black counterplay. ] 1...xb2 [ On 1...xe2 there follows the same reply. ] 2.c6 xe2 3.xa7 f3 4.h4 [ 4.f1 was an alternative; e.g. f6 5.xe7 xe7 ( or 5...c2 6.e6+! ) 6.xe7 xe7 7.e1 e6 8.d2 f5 9.e3 g4
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Dominguez Perez,L Felgaer,R continued [Johan Hellsten]
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10.h3+ and wins. ] 4...h5 5.xe7+ xe7 6.xe7 xe7 7.g4! Clearing some vital space for the king. hxg4 8.h2 e6 9.g3 f5 10.a4! Zugzwang. e4 11.xg4 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Dominguez Perez,L Felgaer,R Cuernavaca [Johan Hellsten] a
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2006
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1...e3! Looking for a transposition to a rook ending. 2.xe3 [ The game actually continued 2.xf5 e2 3.g5+ h8 4.c1 d1! and White had to settle for 5.f6+ g8 6.g5+ h8 7.f6+ with a perpetual. ] [ As for 2.fxe3 , it is Black who delivers the perpetual by e2+ etc. ] 2...xe3 3.fxe3 a8! In the absence of queens, Black has no difficulty in approaching the d-pawn with his king. 4.d6 f8 5.d7 d8 [ Of course not 5...e7? 6.c8 . ] 6.a6 xd7 7.xa5 With equality – Dominguez. [ Indeed, after 7.xa5 d2+ , Black keeps the material balance. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Marovic,D Stein,L Yugoslavia vs. USSR, Yerevan [Johan Hellsten]
h
(Diagramme) . Position 203 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (4-5 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
. Position 204 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (7-8 moves)
1971
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[ and 4...exd4 5.f2! were less promising – Shereshevsky. ] 5.h5 xd4+ 6.xd4 exd4 7.a4 f6 8.xd4 g5 9.e5 [ After 9.c5 xh5 10.b5 g4 , White is short by one tempo. ] 9...xh5 10.f5 a6 . Seeing that Black wins by several tempi after taking the a4-pawn, White resigned. . (End of Chapter Seven; press F11 for the next exercise)
Ohlzon,N Hellsten,J Hallsberg [Johan Hellsten]
. (press F11 for the solution)
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Marovic,D Stein,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1992
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. Position 205 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...h4! Initiating a little combination with the purpose of reaching a won pawn ending. [ In contrast, in the rook ending after 1...xd4?! 2.xd4 e5 3.xh5 xd4+ 4.e3 , White keeps chances of a draw – Shereshevsky. ] 2.gxh4 xd4! 3.d2 e5 4.xd4 e6! An essential intermediate move, which brings the king closer to the white h-pawn. [ Both 4...xd4+? 5.xd4+ exd4 6.xd4 ]
Ohlzon,N Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...xe2 After the exchange of queens, Black’s king will be able to walk right down to the weak c4-pawn. 2.xe2 g7! 3.f1
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Berg,E Timman,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
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[ Nothing is changed by 3.g4 h7 . ] 3...f6 4.e1 e5 5.d2 d4 6.f1 b1 . In view of 7...Ba2 next, White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Berg,E Timman,J Malmo [Johan Hellsten] a
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2002
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. Position 206 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...d2! Active defence. [ Instead, the game went 1...ab8? 2.a5! a6 3.b3 d2 4.h3 and White later realized his extra pawn. ] [ Neither is 1...xa2 2.a1 c4 3.h4 completely convincing for Black. ] 2.b4 [ Or 2.xb7 b8 ; ] [ whereas 2.b5? obviously fails to c4 . ] 2...xa2 3.a5 xa5 4.bxa5 b8 5.b1 b6 . With rough equality. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Llamuca,H Ontaneda,J Riobamba [Johan Hellsten]
2010
(Diagramme)
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. Position 207 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Korchnoi,V Stahlberg,G Bucharest [Johan Hellsten]
1954
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Llamuca,H Ontaneda,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 208 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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1.f5! In “activity above material” spirit. [ Instead, the game saw 1.hxg5 fxg5+ 2.xg5 ( if 2.f5 , then f7+ 3.xg5 b4! 4.axb4 e5 with similar play ) 2...e5 3.e1 d7 4.e2 d4 5.g4 xe4+ 6.f3 xe2 7.xe2 , and at this point d4! 8.d2 c4 9.c2 b4 10.b3+ c5 11.a4 c6! led to a draw. ] 1...gxh4 2.xf6 . There follows the devastating 3 e5(+). . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Korchnoi,V Stahlberg,G continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g4! Preparing 2 g5, followed by h2-h4-h5, in order to open a new front.
[ Of course 1.d3? failed to c4+ ] [ while 1.h4?! was less precise in view of h5 .] 1...c7 2.g5 [ Avoiding the rook ending arising after 2.xe6?! c4+ 3.d3 xe6 4.xe6 xf4 .] 2...d7 3.h4 e7 4.d3 axb4 5.axb4 a3 6.h5 f7 [ 6...xc5!? 7.bxc5 b4 was the last chance – Korchnoi. ] 7.h2! gxh5 8.xh5 g8 9.f5! xc5 [ Or 9...exf5 10.e7 . ] 10.bxc5 b4 11.fxe6 e8 12.h2 bxc3 13.d4 g6 14.e7 a8 15.xc3 e4 16.f2! . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Kanefsck,G Gastiaburo,H Mar del Plata [Johan Hellsten] a
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1999
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Kanefsck,G Gastiaburo,H continued [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 209 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1...e3! Preparing ...Nc2-d4 with a fortress. [ 1...-- ] 2.h3 c2 3.d7 d4+ 4.g2 h4 5.e8 g3! 6.b5 f4 . With all his pieces mutually defended, Black’s fortress is unlikely to be taken, thus a draw was agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Cramling,P Berg,E Swedish Championship, Stockholm [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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. Position 210 (Black to play) Between 1...Be6 and 1...Kb6, which one is bad and for what reason? . (press F11 for the solution)
2007
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Uquillas,G Salazar,S Tena [Johan Hellsten]
2008
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Cramling,P Berg,E continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 211 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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1...b6? This permits an unexpected transposition to a theoretical draw. [ 1...e6!? , intending 2.c3? a5+ , was just one possible winning line. ] 2.c3! a5+ 3.a4! d7 [ The game saw 3...xc3 with stalemate, while horizontal rook moves obviously lose the bishop. ] 4.xc6+ xc6+ 5.a3 . Draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Uquillas,G Salazar,S continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g1! Bringing the king to f2 in order to keep the bishop on the ideal e3-square.
[ Instead, the game went 1.h3?! cxb3 2.cxb3 c2 3.d2 c3! 4.f2 , and at this point g5 , heading for f4, would have been annoying for White. ] 1...cxb3 2.cxb3 c3 3.f2 . White has no problems. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Uquillas,G Zavala,L Piura [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 212 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Uquillas,G Zavala,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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[ 5.h8?! b2 6.xh6+ d5 is less convincing. ] 5...c5 [ Or 5...e7 6.d5 . ] 6.e8 . With excellent counterplay. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bejar,J Aguiar,A Riobamba [Johan Hellsten] a
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2010
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1.c3! Heading for c8, with activity. [ Instead, the game continued 1.e2? e5 2.d3?! d5 3.e3? f4+ 4.gxf4 exf4+ 5.e2 , when xd3 6.xd3 b4! would have decided the outcome at once. ] 1...e5 2.c8 d3+ 3.f2 d2+ 4.e3 xa2 5.d8+!
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. Position 213 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Bejar,J Aguiar,A continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...c5! Activating the rook, and never mind the b5-pawn. [ Instead, the game went 1...b8? 2.xb8 xb8 3.d4 b4 4.d3 g7 5.c6 and White was the one playing for a win. ] 2.xb5 a1+ 3.h2 b1 Black keeps the advantage; [ e.g. 3...b1 4.b4 xb2 5.b8 a6! 6.d3 b3 7.b6 c7 8.fe1 xd5 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Salov,V Christiansen,L Szirak Interzonal [Johan Hellsten]
1987
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Salov,V Christiansen,L continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 214 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1.g4! Opening a new front, with g4-g5 as a potential idea, fixing the enemy pawns on light squares. h6 2.f3 a5 [ Or 2...b7+ 3.b4! f6 4.xb7! xb7 5.g5 fxg5 6.fxg5 hxg5 7.hxg5 b6 8.f4 , and the f4-f5 thrust decides – Salov. ] 3.c6 b4 4.a4! b7+ [ Black was in zugzwang; e.g. 4...f6 5.g5! , turning the g6-pawn into an easy target. ] 5.b5 d6 6.b3 f6 7.g5! fxg5 8.fxg5 hxg5 9.hxg5 d8 [ Or 9...e5 10.c2 . ]
10.xa5 c5 11.f4 c6+ 12.a4 d8 [ If 12...d4 , then 13.f7 e2 14.f5! and wins – Salov. ] 13.f5 [ In view of 13.f5 gxf5 14.g6 c6 15.g7 e7 16.g8 xg8 17.xg8 f4 18.b3 f3 19.c4 , Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Lam King Wai,D Chipkin,L Rochester [Johan Hellsten]
2001
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. Position 215 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + detailed plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Lam King Wai,D Chipkin,L continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
8.c2 b6 9.b3 c6 10.a2! Zugzwang. b6 [ The game concluded 10...d7 11.c5 and Black resigned. ] 11.xd5! exd5 12.xd5 . Black’s fortress has been taken, and White wins. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Shaked,T Hellsten,J Bermuda [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.c6+! The only move - otherwise Black completes his fortress by 1...Kc6. Next White should swap his dark-squared bishop for the knight and then prepare a sacrifice on d5. xc6 2.d4 c8 3.c5! b6 4.xb6 xb6 5.f3 c6 6.e3 b6 7.d4 c6
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1997
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. Position 216 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves)
. (press F11 for the solution)
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Shaked,T Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. (press F11 for the solution)
Matulovic,M Smyslov,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
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1970
. Position 217 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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(Diagramme)
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1...d4! A practical decision: by giving up a pawn Black reaches a theoretically drawn rook ending with two vs. three pawns on one single flank. [ Instead, the game went 1...c4?! 2.xd5 c2 3.f4! xg2 4.f5 xh2 5.xf6 and White kept a clear initiative, which he later converted into a full point. ] 2.xc5 dxc3 3.xc3 e7 . Preparing ...Kg7, followed by a waiting game. Note that the separated pawns actually help Black, as White will have more difficulties in creating a passed pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Matulovic,M Smyslov,V Siegen Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
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1.d2! Heading for the great post on c3. [ Evidently, 1.0-0? ] [ or 1.0-0-0?! would just move away the king from the battlefield. ] 1...he8 [ Or 1...c5 2.c3! – Matulovic. It indeed makes sense to refrain from d4-d5, which would fix the pawns on the “wrong” colour and help Black with a blockade on d6. ] 2.ae1 c8 3.c3 b6 4.f4 With the d4-
pawn firmly defended by the king, the knight can look for more active tasks. g6 5.e3! d7 [ Due to White’s previous move, 5...c5?! now failed to 6.dxc5 bxc5 7.he1 , intending d7 8.d5+ etc. ] 6.he1 xe3 7.xe3 d6 8.b4! . Gaining space. White keeps a pleasant advantage, although the game was drawn in the end. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Gabdrakhmanov,R Yusupov,A Riga [Johan Hellsten] a
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1977
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. Position 218 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Gabdrakhmanov,R Yusupov,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...b3! Active defence. [ Both 1...f6? 2.d7+ g8 3.d2 , intending d6 4.e8+ g7 5.h6+! h7 6.f8 ]
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[ and 1...d6?! 2.f4! f6 3.fxe5 fxe5 4.b7 were less appealing – Dvoretsky. ] 2.xe5+ xe5 3.xe5+ g8 4.xc5 c2+ 5.f2 [ Or 5.h3 e2! with counterplay. ] 5...xc4 6.a5 b4! Preventing 7 Qd2. 7.a2 [ If 7.b6 , then Black keeps harassing the enemy king by d2+ 8.h3 d7+ . ] 7...e1! . An excellent place for the queen. The game later ended in a draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Averbakh,Y Botvinnik,M USSR Championship, Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 219 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1955
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f8 The b3-pawn is doomed, and the ensuing position with mutual passed pawns will clearly favour the bishop. 10.g3 xb3 11.e2 xa4 12.xe4 b3 13.d3 a4 14.d2+ b2 15.c5 b5! [ Not 15...bxc5?! 16.c4+ – Shereshevsky. ] 16.c6 d6 17.e4 b8 18.c3 a3 19.f4 xf4 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Agrest,E Hedman,E Swedish Championship, Ronneby [Johan Hellsten] a
Averbakh,Y Botvinnik,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1...f4! Sacrificing a pawn in order to overcome the enemy barrier. [ Obviously, the materialistic 1...xd5? 2.cxd5 xd5 3.c4+ would just play into White’s hands. ] 2.gxf4 gxf4 3.xf4 c3 4.d1 d2! 5.g4 c2 6.e6 [ A curious line 6.e6 e7 7.d4+ c3 8.f5 f8 9.d1 d2! 10.g4 c2 11.d4+ c3 12.e6 e7 and Black finally wins the b3-pawn. ] 6...xe6 7.xe6 e7 8.d4+ c3 9.f5
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. Position 220 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Agrest,E Hedman,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g1! Preparing g4-g5 with a new front on the kingside. [ The immediate 1.g5?! seems to be somewhat less effective after hxg5 2.fxg5
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fxg5 3.hxg5 bb7 . ] 1...e7 2.g5 hxg5 3.fxg5 b8 [ Black is also in trouble after 3...fxg5 4.xg5 ] [ or 3...f5 4.h5 . ] 4.gxf6+ xf6 5.d3 Now Black has three burdens to carry: the a5-pawn, the g7-pawn and... the king! e8?! [ White wins a pawn after 5...f7 6.cg2 g8 7.e5 with 8 Bh7 next, but in the game Black runs into bigger problems. ] 6.g5! e5 7.f2+ e6 8.c4+ d6 9.d2+ c6 10.xe5 f7 11.b5+! xb5 12.d4+ . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Bisguier,A Fischer,RJ US Championship, New York [Johan Hellsten]
1966
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Bisguier,A Fischer,RJ continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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(Diagramme) . Position 221 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + detailed plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1...h3! Tying the white king to the h-pawn, followed by a transfer of Black’s own king to a5, and then a timely sacrifice on e4. 2.g1 f6 3.h2 e7 4.g1 d6 5.f2 c5 6.g1 b6 7.h1 a5 8.g1 c6 9.h1 b7 [ Probably 9...xe4+ at once worked as well. ] 10.g1 xe4! 11.xe4 a4 White’s fortress is finally taken. 12.f5 b3 13.xg4 e4! 14.xh3 [ Or 14.f5 e3 – Milic. ]
14...xc3 15.g4 d2 [ In view of 15...d2 16.g2 e3 17.f3 c3 , White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
Ponomariov,R Korchnoi,V Donetsk (match) (1) [Johan Hellsten] a
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2001
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Ponomariov,R Korchnoi,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
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. (press F11 for the next exercise)
Onischuk,A Samhouri,AF Istanbul Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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2012
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(Diagramme) 1...g5! A timely transposition to a theoretical draw. 2.gxf5 [ Or 2.fxg5+ hxg5 3.hxg5+ xg5 4.g3 xg4! with similar effect. ] 2...gxf4 3.g4+ xf5 4.xh6+ g6 5.e6+ h5 The point – White can’t save his last pawn. 6.f3 xh4 7.f7 d3+ 8.xf4 d4+ 9.f3 d3+ 10.e4 a3 . A draw was agreed later on.
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. Position 222 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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. Position 223 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Onischuk,A Samhouri,AF continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.h3! Preparing Kh2-g3-f4, after which the king will become a giant. [ 1.h4 was less flexible as the g2-g4 break might come in handy on some occasion. ] 1...f5 2.h2 g7 3.g3 g6 4.f4 h5 [ Or 4...f6 5.g4! h6 6.gxf5 xf5 7.g4 g6 8.c8 b6 9.b7 and wins – Baburin. ] 5.e5 h4 6.d6! The king’s odyssey continues. e6 7.c7 d5 8.g3 g5 9.c4! . The pawn ending is lost for Black, so he resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Vernersson,P Hellsten,J Norrkoping (analysis) [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 224 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1997
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Vernersson,P Hellsten,J continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.g4! Active defence. [ Instead, after 1.c6+ b8 2.b6+ a7 3.a6+ b7 , White’s waiting moves are over and 4.g4! be played, just as in the main line. ( On the other hand, the passive 4.h2? runs into g4! 5.fxg4 b2 6.e6 fxe6 7.g5 f3 8.g6 xg2+! 9.h3 e5 10.g7 xg7 11.xa2 e4 and Black wins. )] 1...xg2+ 2.f5 b7 [ Neither 2...g4 3.xf4 g3 4.g4 ] [ not 2...e2 3.xg5 xe5+ 4.xf4 leads anywhere for Black. ]
3.e4! Preparing a waiting game along e4-f5. f2 4.f5 xf3 5.xg5 f2 6.f5 c7 [ Or 6...f3 7.f4 . ] 7.c6+ b8 8.a6 b7 9.e4 . Black can’t progress: draw. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Nielsen,PH Hjartarson,J Copenhagen [Johan Hellsten] a
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1996
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. Position 225 (White to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Nielsen,PH Hjartarson,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.b4! Returning the pawn in order to seize the seventh rank with the rook. xb4 [ After 1...axb4?! 2.a5 d7 ( or 2...b3 3.a6 ) 3.a6 a7 4.b7 , Black is in trouble. ] 2.c7 e7 3.e3 [ If 3.b7 , then c8 with counterplay. ] 3...b8
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[ Perhaps 3...f5!? , getting rid of a weakness, was worth a try. ] 4.c4 d8 5.d5 b8 6.f5! With the strong threat of 7 f6. gxf5 7.exf5 f6 8.e6 b5 9.g4! b4? [ For better or worse, 9...hxg4 10.h5 b4 had to be tried; e.g. 11.h6 b3 12.h7 g7 13.xe7+ h8 and Black survives. ] 10.gxh5 b3 11.h6 b2 12.a2 b1 13.xb1 g8 14.a2+ h8 15.xe7 b6 16.d4 b4+ 17.c4 Avoiding any “crazy rook” ideas. xa4 18.e6 . Black resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Balogh,T Palecek,P Slovakian Championship, Topolcianky [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 226 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
1994
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Adianto,U Korchnoi,V Manila Olympiad [Johan Hellsten]
1992
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Balogh,T Palecek,P continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.a4! Opening a new front on the queenside. e7 2.a5 d6 3.fb1 b8 4.g3 c8 [ Or 4...f8 5.axb6 axb6 6.xb6! etc. ] 5.c5! f6 6.d3 a8 [ 6...d7 was more solid, denying White the seventh rank. ] 7.c7 f8 8.bc1 e7 9.b7! c6 10.xc6 xc6 11.axb6 axb6 12.f4 e7 13.xb6 . White later capitalized on his extra pawn. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 227 (White to play) White played 1 Qxa3 here – why was that a mistake? What was preferable? . (press F11 for the solution)
Adianto,U Korchnoi,V continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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1.xa3? Now Black is able to set up a
fortress. [ Correct was 1.a8+! g7 2.e4 g6+ 3.f4 , keeping both pawns; e.g. f6+ 4.e5 e6+ 5.d5 g6 6.xa3 and wins – Adianto. ] 1...xe2 2.c3 [ After 2.b3 e6! 3.xe6 fxe6 4.f6 ( or 4.g6 e5 5.f5 f7 ) 4...h7 5.g4 e5 6.g5 g8 , Black also draws. ] 2...e6! The fortress is ready – all Black has to do is alternate his rook between g6 and e6, and occasionally move his king. 3.f5 [ Or 3.d3 g7 ( but not 3...g6+? 4.xg6+! fxg6 5.xg6 . )] 3...h7 4.d4 g6 5.d8 g7 6.g4 h6 7.g5 g6 8.d4+ g8 9.e4 e6+ 10.f5 h7 . White can’t make progress, and a draw was agreed later on. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Akesson,R Berg,E continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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. Position 228 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Akesson,R Berg,E Swedish Team Championship [Johan Hellsten]
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1...a4! Heading for a theoretical draw. [ Instead, the game went 1...xe4? 2.c6! (the magic distance) xg3 3.b7 f5 4.b8 and White soon won. ] 2.b7 c5! 3.b8 a6+ 4.c8 xb8 5.xb8 g5! 6.c7 [ Or 6.hxg5+ xg5 7.f3 h4 etc. ] 6...gxh4 7.gxh4 g7 . Black draws thanks to the “wrong” bishop. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Yakovich,Y Khalifman,A Kuibyshev [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) . Position 229 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (2-3 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1986
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Lujan,C Danielian,E Dresden Olympiad [Johan Hellsten] a
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Yakovich,Y Khalifman,A continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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1...h6! Preparing ...g6-g5 and ...Kh7-g6 in order to activate the king. 2.b5 [ The restrictive 2.h4?! fails to e8! , followed by ...Re6, now that there is no back-rank mate. ] 2...g5! 3.b4 a8 [ But not 3...axb4? 4.a5 – Yakovich, when h7 5.f2 g6 6.f3 xf6? fails to 7.xb6+ . ] 4.xb6 axb4 5.xb4 h7 6.f2 g6 . Draw agreed.
. Position 230 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Lujan,C Danielian,E continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.a3! Preparing b3-b4 with a counterattack. e5 2.b4! axb4 3.axb4 cxb4 4.f3 d4 5.b1! Surrendering the h-pawn for the sake of activity. xh4 6.xb4 g5 7.xb7 h3 [ White is also okay after 7...h1 8.d4+ . ] 8.b5+ e6 9.e4 h4+ 10.e3 h3 11.e4 [ Avoiding 11.f2?! g4 . ] 11...h4+ 12.e3 h3 13.e4 h4+ . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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McNab,C Speelman,J continued [Johan Hellsten]
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McNab,C Speelman,J Bath [Johan Hellsten] a
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1987
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. Position 231 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (5-6 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
1...e5! Activity above material. [ The passive 1...c7 2.f7+ b8 3.f8+ a7 4.f3 a5 , followed by ...Ka6 might also work, but if possible, active play is more satisfactory – Speelman. ] 2.b6 xg3+ 3.d2 f4 4.xb7 g2+ 5.e1 g3! A key move: with the king on g3, White won’t be able to resist the g-pawn. 6.f1 g4 7.b6 [ Or 7.b3+ h2 8.b6 g1+! and wins – Speelman. ] 7...a5 8.b5 a4 9.b4 f2+ 10.g1 [ Or 10.e1 c2! ( but not 10...f3?? 11.xg4 with a draw. )] 10...c2 11.f1 f3 12.e1 g3 13.d1 h2 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Ferrantes,G Eliskases,E Milan [Johan Hellsten]
1938
(Diagramme) . Position 232 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan.
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Ferrantes,G Eliskases,E continued [Johan Hellsten] b
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Kamsky,G Salov,V Buenos Aires [Johan Hellsten]
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c7 15.c3 g3+ 16.f1 b1+ 17.g2 c6! The last straw – White can’t parry the invasion of the black king in any way. 18.a5 b5 19.d8 b2 20.f1 c4 21.xg5 d3 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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1...a5! Opening a new front on the queenside which, together with the weak e3- and h3pawns, should exhaust White’s defences. 2.f2 b5 3.e1 c7 4.f2 a4 5.bxa4 bxa4 6.e1 d6 [ Also possible is 6...a3 7.b4 d6 with similar play. ] 7.a5 a3! Preparing ...Rb1-b2 – 'ChessBase'. 8.d8 e7 9.a5 b1 10.f2 d7 11.e1 b2+ 12.e2 b4 13.b6 d6 14.a5
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. Position 233 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Kamsky,G Salov,V continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1...g5! Preparing the creation of a fortress, in which a weakened e5-pawn will play an important role. 2.fxg5 h4! 3.f3 d4 4.g4 [ Perhaps 4.g6!? was more promising – Salov. ] 4...xg4 5.hxg4 xg5 6.xa4 h7! Redirecting the knight to g6 where it will tie the rook to the e5-pawn. 7.h3
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Szabo,L Botvinnik,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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[ 7.g5 xg5 8.xh4 was preferable, although after h7 9.g4+ h8 10.g3 f8 11.f4 h7 12.g5 g7 13.g3 d7 , Black still holds – Salov. ] 7...f8 8.e4 g6 9.g5 g8 10.g4 h7 11.f3 g7 . Black subsequently maintained his fortress successfully. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Szabo,L Botvinnik,M Budapest [Johan Hellsten] a
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1952
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. Position 234 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves)
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1...xa5! Heading for the scenario of a theoretical draw. 2.d7+ [ 2.g6+ hxg6 3.xa5 xg4 is quite similar. ] 2...xd7 3.xa5 xg4 Black’s idea becomes clear: with a bishop’s pawn on the sixth rank and the “right” bishop, this is a draw. The hpawn has no relevance. 4.e3 e6 5.f4 c4 6.a7 h5 7.g5 h4! 8.xh4 [ Obviously, 8.g6 is met by d3+ . ] 8...b3 9.g5 c4 10.c7 a2 11.c1 d5 12.f5 f7 [ Not 12...b3? 13.c8+! f7 14.c7+ f8 15.g6 ] [ but 12...a2!? 13.c8+ ( or 13.g6 f7+ ) 13...f7 14.c7+ f8 15.g6 b1+ also works. ] 13.e5 b3 14.c7+ f8 15.b7 c4 16.b4 a2 17.f5 d5 18.g6 f7+ 19.g5 d5 . Black later drew. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
Boleslavsky,I Gligoric,S Zurich Candidates [Johan Hellsten] a
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Minic,D Taimanov,M Yugoslavia vs. USSR, Lvov [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 235 (Black to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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[ In contrast, after 1...e4?! 2.d3 xg4 3.xe3 , Black is suffering. ] 2.xf6+ g5 3.xf7 xg4 [ 3...xg4 has the threat of 4.-- f3 5.d3 d8+ . ] 4.d7 f3 5.d3 xf5 6.c4 a4 7.d6! A waiting move. With neither side able to progress, a draw was agreed. [ In contrast, 7.c5? would lose after ee5! 8.c6 d5+ 9.c4 c5+ 10.d3 fd5+ 11.xd5 xd5+ 12.c4 d2 – Bronstein. . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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. Position 236 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (3-4 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
Minic,D Taimanov,M continued [Johan Hellsten]
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(Diagramme) 1...h6! It is worth a pawn to activate the king.
1...f3! Sacrificing the last pawn in order to create some kind of fortress based on the
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bad position of White’s king. [ Instead, 1...c1? 2.b7 wins for White. ] 2.xf3 d6 3.f6+ [ After 3.c3 c7 4.h4 b4 5.h5 h4 6.c5 b4 7.a5 b1 8.a4 b2 , it isn’t clear how White can make progress here either. ] 3...c7 4.a5 b8 5.h6 b1 Black opts for a waiting game, seeing that once the hpawn reaches h5, White won’t have a clear follow-up. 6.h4 b2 7.h5 b1 8.a4 b2 9.g6 h2 10.h6 b2! White’s king must remain cut off. 11.g8 h2 12.h8 There was no other way to progress. xc6 13.b4 h4+ 14.c3 b7 15.d3 b4! [ Not 15...h1? 16.e4 and the white king arrives in time. Only a side attack works in such positions, as we know from Example 217 (Kamsky-Karpov). ] 16.e3 [ Or 16.h7 h4 . ] 16...b6 17.d4 a7 18.c4 c6+ 19.d5 b6 20.h7+ a8 . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
1926
(Diagramme) . Position 237 (Black to play)
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Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
Rokhlin,Y Botvinnik,M continued [Johan Hellsten] a
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Rokhlin,Y Botvinnik,M Leningrad [Johan Hellsten]
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1...h5! Opening a new front on the kingside. 2.d5 [ Obviously 2.h4? now fails to g3 . ] 2...h4 3.e3 [ Perhaps the ugly 3.h3 was better, avoiding the weaknesses that now emerge. ] 3...h3 4.g3 f5! 5.f4 Parrying the threat of ... f5-f4; [ whereas after 5.d5 g5 , Black just
renews it – Bartashnikov. ] 5...e4! A great place for the bishop. 6.a1 g8 [ 6...b8 seems more technical in order to rule out 7 Ra7, an idea that White should probably have tried on the next move. ] 7.e1?! g5! Now White’s position is demolished. 8.d1 [ 8.fxg5 failed to xg3! ] [ while after 8.f1 d3 ] [ or 8.e5 xe5 9.fxe5 f4 , Black also wins – Bartashnikov. ] 8...gxf4 9.a7 fxg3 . White resigned. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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Tal,M Uhlmann,W Moscow [Johan Hellsten]
1967
(Diagramme)
Van Wely,L Giri,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme)
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1...f5+! Heading for a theoretical draw. [ Less practical was 1...e7?! 2.h5 f8 3.h6 f5+ 4.g5 , even though Müller showed that, starting with f4 , Black can eventually save himself here too. ] 2.xf5 xh4! 3.xh4 d4 Despite being a whole piece down, Black manages to draw because of White’s remotely placed forces. 4.f3 c3 5.e3 xb3 6.d3 xa4 7.c3 b5! . Draw agreed. . (press F11 for the next exercise)
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. Position 238 (Black to play) Find the best continuation. (7-8 moves) . (press F11 for the solution)
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Van Wely,L Giri,A Wijk aan Zee [Johan Hellsten]
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. Position 239 (White to play) Indicate your 1st move + short plan. . (press F11 for the solution)
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Qin Kanying Stefanova,A FIDE World Cup, Shenyang [Johan Hellsten]
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Tal,M Uhlmann,W continued [Johan Hellsten] a
with similar consequences. ] 2.e4 e7 3.c8+! xc8 4.xc8 f5+ 5.d5 f7 [ Black resigned at the same time, without waiting for 5...f7 6.xa7 . . (press F11 for the next exercise) ]
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1.e3! The king gets ready for an invasion on the light squares, thus exploiting the weak point on c6. [ Instead, after 1.c8?! xc8 2.xc8 a6 3.e3 f5 4.d3 b5! , Black has better chances of resistance. ] 1...g6 [ Black can’t undertake much; e.g. 1...f6 2.xf6 xf6 3.c8+! xc8 4.xc8 and wins – Milic ] [ or 1...a6 2.e4 f6+ 3.xf6 xf6 4.c8+ xc8 5.xc8 b5 6.d5
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2000
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. Position 240 (White to play) White played 1 Ng5 here – why was that a mistake? What was preferable? . (press F11 for the solution)
Qin Kanying Stefanova,A continued [Johan Hellsten]
(Diagramme) 1.g5? This allows Black to save herself on the theme of a theoretical draw. [ Let's examine the alternatives: After 1.a5? h5+ 2.d4 xa5 3.f6 a8 4.c7 g8 5.g7 f8 6.e5 xf6! 7.xf6 h7 , a first type of theoretical draw emerges. Thanks to her bishop being
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correctly placed on the b1-h7 diagonal, Black defends comfortably; e.g. 8.c7 d3 9.d7 c2 . ] [ Roughly the same thing occurs after 1.f5? xe4! 2.xe4 xa4 . At this point, Black just needs to bring her bishop to the b1-h7 diagonal in order to secure a draw, and after 3.c7 b5 , it is not clear how White can prevent that. If the rook leaves the seventh rank then ...Kh7 becomes possible, and if it moves to d7 Black expels it by ...Bb5, while king moves permit ...Bd3. ] [ As for 1.b6? , Black should prefer h5+! ( avoiding 1...xa4? 2.g5! ) 2.f4 xa4 3.b8+ h7 4.f6+ xh6 5.h8+ g7! 6.xh5 xf6 with another type of theoretical draw. ] [ Equally unsuccessful is 1.c8+? h7 2.f6+ xh6 3.h8+ g5 4.xh4 ( or 4.e4+ xe4+! 5.xe4 xa4 ) 4...xh4 5.a5 , due to c4 6.d4 e2 ( 6...f1 works as well ) 7.d5 g5 with a position that occurred in the old game H.Bird-G. Maróczy, London 1899. There followed 8.c5 f5 9.c3 f1 10.b5 e6 11.a6 d7 12.a7 g2 and Maróczy made a draw without much effort. ] [ Finally, we have reached the correct continuation. White should bet on the apawn while also keeping the rooks on the board – an idea which is achieved by 1.f6! xh6 (there was the threat of 2 Rc8+) 2.a5 . Here it is difficult to see how Black can avoid the arrival of the pawn at a7, and her king is worryingly far away. Without much need to dig further into this position, we can conclude that 1 Nf6, despite being the
shortest line, is the one that causes most problems for Black. ] 1...xa4! Having seen a tactical resource two moves further on, Stefanova exploits the moment to eliminate the dangerous a-pawn. 2.c8+ g8 3.h7 a5+! Perhaps this check was overlooked by Qin when playing 1 Ng5. 4.f4 xg5! 5.xg5 xh7 Draw agreed. Thanks to her king being located in a safe corner, Black holds; [ e.g. 5...xh7 6.c7+ h8 7.h6 d5 . . (End of Chapter Eight.) ]